The advantages of an interdisciplinary approach to college instruction and research are examined, based in part on a 1983 symposium of the European Centre for Higher Education. Six case studies are also presented. It is noted that interdisciplinarity opens up possibilities of exchange between individual disciplines and encourages the development of interdisciplinary methodological concepts and models of explication. Interdisciplinary research intensifies specialized research and offers models of synthesis that are of central importance not only to the sciences, but also to the development of practice-related orientations for action. Interdisciplinary research is also important in solving problems in society. The following practical cases of interdisciplinary study and research are described: The Norwegian Regional Colleges, the Danish Universities Centres, the Linkoping University, the Bielefeld Centre for Interdisciplinary Research (Western Germany), the University of Sussex, the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, University of California at Santa Cruz, Evergreen State College, and the Pennsylvania State University. It is recommended that UNESCO disseminate information to promote adoption of interdisciplinary study and research. (SW)