Interdisciplinary Educational Research (CIDER)

Educational trajectories are complex and influenced by a multitude of factors, including background, school system and economic circumstances. For this reason, disciplines need to work together to gain a better understanding of educational processes. This means that every discipline needs to have basic knowledge of the others, and that structures to facilitate interdisciplinary discussion are in place.

The College for Interdisciplinary Educational Research (College on Interdisciplinary Educational Research – CIDER) works to improve interdisciplinary cooperation in educational research. The college is supported by the Jacobs Foundation and the Research Network Educational Potential (LERN). Nine other Leibniz Institutes are involved in addition to the Institute for Educational Research and Information (DIPF).

A program of innovative supports is provided for postdocs in the fields of sociology, economics, psychology and education who are conducting empirical and interdisciplinary education research. Experienced researchers are available to assist them as they develop their projects, and regular workshops are held to provide an opportunity for the postdocs to share and discuss their work. The College focuses on three research areas:

• educational disparities and unexpected success,
• the development of competence as an educational and social process, and
• the monetary and non-monetary returns of education.