In Belgium, Ghent University has been a pioneer in its strategy for quality enhancement and impact of SSH research since 2012. Supportive measures included a structural investment in interdisciplinary research consortia in the fields of culture & heritage, psychology, global studies, criminology and economics. In 2018-2019, the university reinforced its efforts, leveraging these consortia towards even more ambitious interdisciplinary collaborations and societal impact. Next, UGent funded a university-wide roll-out of the initiative. There now exist ten competitively selected Interdisciplinary Consortia for Societal Impact (IDC), covering a wide variety of disciplines in SSH and STEMM, and breaking down traditional barriers inside academia as well as with stakeholders.