The Collaborative Culture at Duke

Takeaways from Ed Balleisen, senior vice provost for interdisciplinary programs and initiatives

An excited person in the middle shaking someone's hand
Ed Balleisen greets Provost Alec Gallimore (right) and Manoj Mohanan of the Sanford School of Public Policy Manoj Mohanan (left) during a day-long new faculty orientation. (Photo: HuthPhoto)

This is a summary of an interview from Interdisciplinary Spirit, a new digital magazine from the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs.

“You’ll struggle now to find any college or university that doesn’t tout interdisciplinary undertakings by its faculty and students,” says Ed Balleisen, senior vice provost for interdisciplinary programs and initiatives. 

But, Balleisen notes, very few other universities offer the breadth of collaborative activity that Duke does across all its schools, or the range of opportunities for students.

Balleisen, who has led Duke’s interdisciplinary efforts for more than a decade, is leaving in July to become provost at George Washington University. In an interview, Balleisen reflects on Duke’s distinctive approach.

See top takeaways from Balleisen’s interview, below – and read stories that capture Duke’s unique interdisciplinary culture in Interdisciplinary Spirit, a new digital magazine.

Integration is key.

Duke aims to intersect research, education and engagement, thanks to wide-ranging mechanisms from seed grants to Multiyear Interdisciplinary Hubs and the Duke Center for Community-Engaged Scholarship.

“The ecosystem isn’t just each of these domains in isolation. It’s the relationships and connections across them that I think are really special at Duke.”

Experiential learning is central.

Students engage directly in interdisciplinary work through signature programs like Bass Connections and the summer +Programs.

“We systematically blend interdisciplinary research with educational offerings, with a heavy emphasis on experiential learning. …  It’s a great way for students to try out a new configuration or explore a new area of interest.”

Students can co-create their own curriculum.

Duke offers a broad array of pathways across disciplines and schools for students, including interdisciplinary courses and certificates and Program II, which allows undergraduates to design their own major. One 2026 graduate blended economics, ecology and sustainability development, for example.

“There are such a variety of opportunities for students.”

Collaboration often starts simply.

There are many ways faculty and students can spark unexpected intellectual connections, from informal gatherings organized by the Office for Faculty Advancement to working groups of university-wide interdisciplinary units. 

“Sometimes they can lead to cross-cutting research collaborations just because people find out they share an interest.”

People make the difference.

Ultimately, impact comes from those who engage with the ecosystem.

“Those [institutional] supports only matter because incredibly talented and committed people take advantage of them.”

Read the full interview and related stories in Interdisciplinary Spirit, a new digital magazine from the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs.