Higher education researchers ‘stuck on their own islands’

And this is surprising why? In a competitive "academic market" with a focus on "publish or perish" as well as "novel and breakthrough" research all the time but limited resources and positions you need to carve out a viable niche for yourselves. In order to survive in this game these niches need to be guarded jealously and defended ruthlessly. This leaves little space or motivation for cross- or interdisciplinary joint-up research and debate/dialogue.