Nature of Session:

A) Panel discussion: The panel members relied on their personal experience of partnerships to reflect on the following three questions: What is intercultural ? What is mutual learning ? What changes are needed to ensure more sustainable development, and how can such changes be brought about?
B) Discussion in working groups: The groups reflected on the panel discussion and discussed results within the framework of experience gained in projects of SPPE Module 7
C) Three keynote lectures: These focussed on specific aspects of cases relating to mutual learning in an intercultural context, including personal experiences.
D) Consolidation and conclusions: In a plenary discussion, the participants worked out the similarities and differences between findings relating to the theme of the overall Mutual Learning Session.

Summary
Transdisciplinary approaches are a constitutive element of research collaboration in the context of intercultural North-South research partnerships.

1. Intercultural exchange and collaboration enhances the richness of individual cultures and highlights cultural differences productively. The dynamism of cultures requires debate and mutual learning. Promoting a "global culture" is no alternative to this challenge and cultural differences need not be levelled out in order to allow collaboration.
2. Intercultural collaboration requires personal courage, interpersonal trust and time. Corresponding mutual learning is rooted in the principle of allowing everyone to find his or her own core. Such "transcultural competence” must become part of education and professional training.
3. Transdisciplinary research (TDR) in an intercultural context must take into account the different cultural settings as well as find a common vision among the different stakeholders. In this respect it is important that all participating researchers have their own, firm disciplinary background, are fully aware of their own cultural background, are prepared to cross borders and know how to cross them. Related skills involve "transgressing borders where one feels at ease”; this challenges researchers’ personalities and requires a willingness to engage in interpersonal exchange.
4. Transdisciplinarity involves extending the scope of disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, and including participation of concerned parties such as end-users, decision-makers, and NGOs. It also requires the creation of discussion platforms as a means to integrate all stakeholders. Transdisciplinarity aims to produce action-oriented answers to problems. In this sense, transdisciplinarity involves the risk that identities may change. Transdisciplinarity transgresses the realm of science to meet and involve society.
5. Transdisciplinary research requires skills to deal with power- and conflict-related processes and the capacity to mediate in favour of the research process. It also requires (intercultural) communication skills and social competence, which are not part of the traditional curricula of academic training. Currently, the problem is that the academic system does not reward transdisciplinary research. Younger researchers in particular run the risk of being punished for "crossing borders”.
6. North-South research partnerships have applied transdisciplinary approaches for more than 20 years. There is an opportunity to capitalise on achievements and findings in both transdisciplinary research and intercultural collaboration. One major experience shows that North-South partnerships cannot be carried out on an equal footing: unequal distribution of power among the partners involved remains a concern. Research partnerships often consist of putting forward preconceived agendas and do not result in mutual development of a joint agenda. Thus, partnerships require (more) time, courage and trust.
7. Don't sing the gospel of TDR and mutual learning just out of a desire for cultural roots in a world of globalised research patterns – but strive for it in the conviction that mutual learning validates cultural diversity and TDR favours the culture-sensitive translation of research into action and impacts.