In European Commission research funding responsible research and innovation (RRI) is gaining increased importance as a cross-cutting approach embedding ELSA in larger innovation projects.
Capacity building and policy influence and engagement were important cross-cutting focus areas.
These cross-cutting factors emerged as important influencers of relationships, within all identified programme design elements.
The cross-cutting issues relevant to developing guidelines, including the importance of community level collateral benefits in low income settings, and the need for flexibility and careful consideration of communication issues in policies and procedures, are highlighted in the discussion.
Public service reforms in the UK and around the world have for the past decade or so emphasised the cross-cutting nature of all major policy files and the importance of senior leaders crossing departmental boundaries in planning, policy and delivery.
The importance of community engagement as a cross-cutting ethical issue for HIV, TB and malaria vaccine trials was underscored in a report from a 2009 consultation sponsored by the Ethics, Law and Human Rights Collaborating Centre of the WHO/UNAIDS African AIDS Vaccine Programme [ 17].
Aitsi-Selmi et al. (2016) have emphasized the importance of coherence of science and technology in cross-cutting global frameworks, particularly the Sendai Framework, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and the Paris Agreement on climate change (UN 2015a, b).
Now, in light of the emerging post-2015 sustainable development goals (SDGs), the importance of equity is gaining attention as a cross-cutting theme for all development-related spheres, including health (6).
Given the importance of problem solving and decision-making skills, the cross-cutting competencies and terminal objectives are designed to emphasize higher levels of learning such as synthesis and performance, rather than strictly knowledge acquisition [ 13].
Several goals spelled out in the 2006 2011 NIEHS Strategic Plan (NIEHS 2006c) emphasize the importance of these two forms of integration: Goal III calls for enabling integrative and cross-cutting research approaches; Goal IV calls for improving and expanding capacity for community-linked research; and Goal VII underscores the importance of supporting development of partnerships.
