Al-Ahliyya Amman University — Interdisciplinary Research
Interdisciplinary Research Projects & Initiatives — IRPD Network
A suite of four collaborative initiatives led by Al-Ahliyya Amman University,
building a regional network of partner universities to measure, strengthen, and disseminate interdisciplinary
research performance in alignment with THE ISR standards and UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The first initiative has been released and is operational. The remaining three are in structured planning phases
with defined timelines, partner commitments, and measurable targets. Together, they form a coherent regional
strategy that positions AAU as a knowledge hub for interdisciplinary research excellence in the Arab world.
🚀 1 RELEASED · 3 PLANNING🌐 6 PARTNER UNIVERSITIES📊 THE ISR ALIGNED🎯 SDG INTEGRATED
Interdisciplinary Initiative
#1
Interdisciplinary Research Performance Dashboard
IRPD — A Multi-Institutional Bibliometric Intelligence Platform
✓ Version 1.0 Released
A collaborative initiative led by Al-Ahliyya Amman University to build a unified data platform
for measuring interdisciplinary research performance across scientific disciplines. The initiative draws on
Scopus and SciVal data to monitor impact and cross-disciplinary indicators, aligns its outputs with THE ISR
requirements, and serves the six-university partner network as a shared institutional intelligence resource.
The dashboard is the primary data infrastructure behind AAU's interdisciplinary KPI
framework and the bibliometric study 'Where Disciplines Meet, Excellence Follows' (2025), which
analysed 4,064 peer-reviewed publications and produced evidence-based insights now integrated
across AAU's interdisciplinary research programme.
Develop a unified framework of interdisciplinary performance indicators that captures cross-disciplinary overlap across scientific fields.
02
Monitor growth in interdisciplinary output and identify disciplines with the highest prominence and momentum using Topic Prominence scores.
03
Use dashboard data to direct resource allocation toward disciplines with the greatest interdisciplinary impact and cross-field citation influence.
04
Map dashboard outputs to ISR submission fields and ensure full alignment of indicators with THE interdisciplinary ranking methodology.
Dashboard Components
📊
Bibliometric Data Module
Import and analyse Scopus/SciVal exports; compute FWCI, Topic Prominence, and C-Score per discipline.
🗺️
Cross-Disciplinary Map
Interactive visual representation of disciplinary overlap using the cross-field interdisciplinary matrix.
📡
Live Performance Dashboard
Real-time display of key metrics: interdisciplinary paper count, international collaboration rate, and citation impact.
🤖
Automated Reporting System
Generate periodic reports ready for THE ISR submission and institutional research committee review.
🏆
Institutional Benchmarking Portal
Compare interdisciplinary performance across partner universities and identify leading disciplinary practices.
Partner Universities
Al-Ahliyya Amman University (Lead)
An-Najah National University
Palestine Ahliya University
PTUK
Al-Maarif University
RAKMHSU
Key Indicators
6+
Partner Universities
11
Fields Monitored
12
Months Duration
ISR
Full THE Alignment
Interdisciplinary Initiative
#2
Comparative Study: Interdisciplinary vs. Regular Research
Published outputs analysis across participating universities — 2021 to 2025
✓ Completed — Findings Published
A multi-institutional comparative study led by Al-Ahliyya Amman University examining
published research output from 2021 to 2025. The study benchmarks interdisciplinary papers against
single-discipline publications to generate evidence-based insights that guide institutional research
strategy and ISR positioning.
The study has been completed and its findings published in the report
'Where Disciplines Meet, Excellence Follows' (2025), analysing 4,064 peer-reviewed
publications across 19 performance indicators organised into five analytical dimensions.
Key findings confirm that AAU's interdisciplinary research achieves a Mean FWCI of 3.065
— 40% above single-discipline output — with interdisciplinary papers recording 47% more citations and
60% more views on average.
Compare FWCI and citation rates between interdisciplinary and single-discipline publications over the five-year period.
02
Examine how interdisciplinary research shapes international and cross-institutional collaboration networks versus regular output.
03
Measure Topic Prominence trajectories for interdisciplinary fields compared to single-discipline fields across the study window.
04
Use comparative findings to guide institutional investment decisions and strengthen ISR submission evidence.
Comparison Framework — Key Indicators
Indicator
Interdisciplinary Research
Regular (Single-Discipline)
FWCI
Field-weighted citation impact across multiple disciplines Primary
Field-weighted citation impact within a single discipline
Citations
Total citation count for cross-field papers Primary
Total citation count for single-field papers
Co-authorship
International and cross-institutional collaboration rate Secondary
Collaboration rate for single-discipline papers
Topic Prominence
Growth momentum of interdisciplinary topics Primary
Growth momentum of single-discipline topics
Key Findings
3.065 vs 2.190
Mean FWCI — interdisciplinary research leads regular output by 40%
29.2%
FW Top 10% — interdisciplinary papers ranking in the global citation top 10%
62.7 vs 39.3
Mean views/paper — interdisciplinary leads by 60%
2.4 vs 1.0
Mean subject count per paper — interdisciplinary shows a 140% advantage in disciplinary breadth
Study Scope
2021–2025
Study Period
4,064
Publications Analysed
19
Indicators across 5 Dimensions
6
Partner Universities
Partner Universities
Al-Ahliyya Amman University (Lead)
An-Najah National University
Palestine Ahliya University
PTUK
Al-Maarif University
RAKMHSU
Study Indicators
5
Years Covered
4
Metrics Compared
6+
Partner Universities
12
Months Duration
Interdisciplinary Initiative
#3
Interdisciplinary Research, Sustainability & ISR Training Programme
Capacity building across all research stakeholders — interdisciplinary practice, SDG frameworks, and bibliometric literacy
⏳ Planning Phase
A structured capacity-building programme led by Al-Ahliyya Amman University designed to
equip all research stakeholders across partner institutions with the knowledge and skills needed to engage
with interdisciplinary and sustainability research. The programme integrates interdisciplinary research
principles, THE ISR standards, hands-on bibliometric training, and sustainability research frameworks.
Lead Institution
Al-Ahliyya Amman University
Duration
12 Months
Scope
Regional — Multi-institutional
Status
Planning Phase
Target Audience
👨🏫 Faculty Members
🔬 Researchers
🎓 Postgraduate Students
🗂️ Research Administration
Strategic Objectives
01
Train faculty and researchers on the principles, methods, and design of interdisciplinary research across partner institutions.
02
Familiarise all stakeholders with THE ISR standards, interdisciplinary classification criteria, and submission requirements.
03
Deliver hands-on workshops on Scopus, SciVal, FWCI, Topic Prominence, and other key bibliometric indicators.
04
Integrate SDG frameworks into interdisciplinary research design and enable institutions to map outputs to sustainability goals for ISR positioning.
05
Establish a trained core group at each partner institution capable of independently supporting future interdisciplinary and sustainability research.
Training Modules
Module 1 · Faculty & Researchers
Interdisciplinary Research Fundamentals
Concepts, design principles, and the distinction between interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and intradisciplinary research.
Module 2 · All Stakeholders
THE ISR Standards & Classification
ISR methodology, field classification criteria, submission fields, and how bibliometric indicators feed into rankings.
Module 3 · All Stakeholders
Scopus, SciVal & Bibliometrics
Hands-on training on data export, FWCI, Topic Prominence, C-Score, co-authorship analysis, and dashboard interpretation.
NEW
Module 4 · All Stakeholders
Sustainability Research & SDGs
Mapping institutional research outputs to UN SDG goals, integrating sustainability into interdisciplinary design, and leveraging SDG alignment in ISR submissions.
Partner Universities
Al-Ahliyya Amman University (Lead)
An-Najah National University
Palestine Ahliya University
PTUK
Al-Maarif University
RAKMHSU
Programme Scope
12
Months Duration
4
Training Modules
4
Audience Groups
17
SDGs Covered
6
Partner Universities
Interdisciplinary Initiative
#4
Interdisciplinary and Sustainability Research Teams Network
Establishing collaborative research teams across partner universities
⏳ Planning Phase
A network-based initiative led by Al-Ahliyya Amman University to establish structured interdisciplinary
and sustainability research teams across partner institutions. Operating through two complementary models —
cross-institutional and internal university teams — the initiative projects 28 to 42 active research
teams covering priority interdisciplinary fields aligned with SDG goals.
Lead Institution
Al-Ahliyya Amman University
Duration
24 Months
Scope
Regional — Multi-institutional
Status
Planning Phase
Team Models
Model A
Cross-Institutional Teams
Research teams formed across two or more partner universities, bringing together researchers from
different institutions to tackle shared interdisciplinary and sustainability challenges.
Projected: 4–6 teams
Model B
Internal University Teams
Research teams formed within each individual partner university, drawing on faculty and researchers
from different disciplines aligned with institutional and SDG priorities.
Projected: 4–6 teams per university
Projected total: 28 to 42 active research teams across both models and all 6 partner universities.
Strategic Objectives
01
Form operational interdisciplinary and sustainability research teams under both models across all partner institutions.
02
Map and prioritise interdisciplinary fields with the highest strategic and bibliometric potential across the partner network.
03
Develop funding mechanisms and institutional support structures to sustain team activity and enable research output.
04
Support teams in publishing findings in Scopus-indexed interdisciplinary journals to strengthen ISR positioning.
05
Ensure each team's research agenda maps to relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals, reinforcing sustainability impact across the network.
Implementation Phases
1
Months 1–4 — Field Mapping and Team Design
Identify priority research fields, define team selection criteria, and design funding mechanisms for both models.
2
Months 5–9 — Team Formation and Launch
Select and onboard team members across all partner institutions, assign SDG alignment, and launch research activity.
3
Months 10–18 — Research and Publication
Teams conduct research, prepare manuscripts, and submit to Scopus-indexed interdisciplinary journals.
4
Months 19–24 — Evaluation and Sustainability
Assess team outputs, measure SDG impact, and develop a sustainability plan for the network beyond the initiative period.
Partner Universities
Al-Ahliyya Amman University (Lead)
An-Najah National University
Palestine Ahliya University
PTUK
Al-Maarif University
RAKMHSU
Initiative Scope
24
Months Duration
2
Team Models
28–42
Projected Teams
6
Partner Universities
📌 A Regional Network for Interdisciplinary Research Excellence
Together, these four initiatives form a coherent regional strategy for building, measuring, training, and
sustaining interdisciplinary research capacity across partner institutions. Al-Ahliyya Amman University leads
a network that is grounded in published bibliometric evidence, fully aligned with THE ISR standards and the
UN Sustainable Development Goals, and committed to producing research that crosses disciplinary boundaries to
address the complex challenges of the Arab world and beyond.