The commentary argues that modernity is characterised by structural complexity and ‘wicked problems’ that expose a persistent mismatch between systemic challenges and fragmented knowledge architectures. It proposes ‘ingenuity’, or the production of actionable ideas, as a productive force, and positions think tanks and interdisciplinary platforms as institutional spaces that translate knowledge into adaptive, policy-relevant pathways. The article identifies core lacunae within university systems, including disciplinary silos, citation-centred incentives, and limited engagement with policy practice and grey literature, which constrain the production of actionable ideas. Interdisciplinarity is therefore framed not as a cosmetic aggregation of perspectives but as a problem-driven integrative practice that redefines rigour through methodological plurality, systems thinking and institutional collaboration.

Interdisciplinary perspective, wicked problems, complexity, institutions, ingenuity gap

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