Why does it matter?

Emergent scholarship matters because our most pressing challenges—from climate change to healthcare transformation to the societal impact of AI—require approaches to knowledge creation that are as complex, adaptive, and interconnected as the problems themselves. By reimagining scholarship as an emergent process that embraces complexity, fosters public engagement, and transcends traditional boundaries, we can:

• Design collaborative learning environments where students and teachers co-create understanding
• Create more responsive and relevant knowledge that addresses real-world problems
• Build adaptive capacity to respond to rapidly changing contexts
• Foster inclusive participation from diverse voices and perspectives
• Bridge the gap between academic knowledge and broader societal discourse
• Develop more sustainable practices that support both human wellbeing and environmental health

Emergent scholarship offers a pathway for anyone interested in navigating complexity, collaborating effectively, and continuing learning throughout their careers; for people who are equipped for the societal challenges of today and tomorrow.

Rather than treating this as a radical departure from traditional scholarship, we might better understand it as a necessary adaptation to the reality of our complex, interconnected world.