FORUM Doctoral College 2026: Interdisciplinary Research in Practice

We kindly invite you to the

“FORUM Doctoral College 2026”

Interdisciplinary Research in Practice

Thursday, 3 December 2026, 09:00–14:00, Urania Sternwarte, Vienna

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Following our successful launch event in 2025, we look forward to continue this multidisciplinary gathering. A lot has happened over this year, and we are eager to share with you the development of our PhD projects and our college.

We are honored to welcome Veronica Kaup-Hasler, Executive City Councillor for Cultural Affairs and Science City of Vienna, for giving the opening address.

The keynote by Anna Bon (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) looks over the edge which is more than multi-discplines, but addresses the urge for a global Digital Humanism:

“Decolonizing the digital transformation – Digital Humanism and the Global South perspective.“

“The digital transition brings also techno-colonisation, techno-feudalism, and a scramble for data and resources (energy, water, minerals). .. The Digital Humanism community must look beyond its traditional borders, support initiatives and raise awareness on the Global South perspectives. Solidarity is needed to build a fair, sustainable and inclusive Global (digital) society.”

Our goal is to offer a platform for a reflected dialogue and to drive digital innovation towards human-centred values: Join us, we look forward to your participation.

Hannah Prendecky (University of Vienna) and Salome Wagner (TU Wien)
Programme Coordinators Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism

Thursday, 3rd of December 2026

• 09:00
  Welcome coffee, Exhibition of PhD projects
• 09:30
  Welcome addresses by the City of Vienna, the Vienna Science and Technology Fund, and the member Universities:
  • Veronica Kaup-Hasler – Executive City Councillor for Cultural Affairs and Science, City of Vienna
  • Michael Stampfer – Managing Director, WWTF Vienna Science and Technology Fund
  • Bernadette Kamleitner – Vice-Rector for Research and Third Mission, Vienna University of Economics and Business
• How to approach Interdisciplinary? A view behind the scenes.
  • Talk by the Scientific Coordinators Marta Sabou, Jan Maly (WU Wien), Sophie Lecheler (Universität Wien), Peter Knees (TU Wien)
  • Project Presentations by Doctoral Students
• 11:00
  Coffee Break and Exhibition of PhD projects
• 11:30
  Interdisciplinarity in a researchers day-2-day experience: Best Pracitices and Hurdles
  • Panel Discussion with Doctoral Students, moderated by Petra Steinkogler, Programme Management WWTF
  • Key Note: “Decolonizing the digital transformation – Digital Humanism and the Global South perspective.“*
    • Anna Bon, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Maastricht University, Advisory Board DigHum College**
• 13:00
  Lunch Buffet and Exhibition of PhD projects
• 14:00
  Farewell

Location

Urania Sternwarte, Uraniastraße 1, 1010 Vienna

Please sign-up for this event.

For any questions, feel free to reach out to us:
dighum-dc@ec.tuwien.ac.at

* Abstract Key Note: Decolonizing the digital transformation – Digital Humanism and the Global South perspective.

Connecting the unconnected people in the world to the global (digital) knowledge society, has, for decades, been an inclusive, altruistic and humanistic imperative. It was formulated by the United Nations, as one of the important international development goals, during the World Summit on the Information Society in 2005. In line with this objective to bridge the digital divide, I have worked since 2006, with an international, inter- and trans-disciplinary research team, developing innovative, context-aware digital solutions in some of the least connected regions of West African. Our idea was not transfer of technologies and knowledge, but co-design: integrating indigenous and scientific knowledge; learning through experience and knowledge exchange with people in West Africa’s drylands. But recently, the world has changed. Nowadays, being digitally  “connected” is not only a privilege. The digital transition brings also techno-colonisation, techno-feudalism, and a scramble for data and resources (energy, water, minerals). People and regions “at the base of the pyramid” are vulnerable targets. Therefore political ad social solidarity and pressure are urgently needed to decolonize and reverse these trends. The Digital Humanism community must look beyond its traditional borders, support initiatives and raise awareness on the Global South perspectives. Solidarity is needed to build a fair, sustainable and inclusive Global (digital) society.

** Biographie Anna Bon
Anna Bon is a researcher, lecturer and international project manager at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her research focuses on co-design of innovative digital technologies for communities in resource-constraint environments in regions of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Anna has designed master education in ICT for Development and lectured/supervised computer science and AI master students on this subject since 2012. She has lectured ICT for Development master classes at University of Torino, University of Naples, University of Innsbruck, Karazin Kharkiv National University in Ukraine, and various African, Asian and Latin American universities. Anna has contributed to curriculum design and education of the interdisciplinary European master “Digital Society, Social Innovation and Global Citizenship”. She is member of the Digital Humanism Steering Committee in Vienna. She holds a master in Geology and a PhD in Science, Technology and Society Studies from Maastricht University, Netherlands.