Data, Responsibility, and Scientific Practice: Data Management is More Than Compliance

The retreat opened with a session by Florina Piroi and Tomasz Miksa from the Center for Research Data Management at TU Wien. Their talk on Data Management Plans (DMPs) went beyond administrative requirement and illustrated that poor data management can undermine even the best research. Missing metadata, proprietary file formats, unclear licensing, or lack of documentation can make even valuable work unusable.

At its core, research data management is about:

• Reproducibility
• Transparency
• Long-term accessibility
• Ethical and legal responsibility

In the afternoon, we took the chance to visit Schloss Reichenau, where we have been guided through the exhibition by historian Friederike Griessler. Her research about the Semmering and its historical development as place of “Sommerfrische” lasts more than 30 years. She had many interesting insights about the construction of the Semmering Bahn and the pioneering of construction for public transportation.

Serious Games and Democratic Values

The evening session, led by Peter Purgathofer (TU Wien), shifted the perspective: from managing data to rethinking how we learn and reflect.

Under the title“Using non-digital games to enhance learning in interdisciplinary approaches,” the group explored how analog games can foster:

Creative and computational thinking,
Critical Thinking,
Responsible Thinking,
Policy Thinking.

Drawing on concepts like “Ways of Thinking in Informatics,” we experienced how game-based learning brings awareness to ethical tensions, conflicting values, and policy trade-off. Importantly, these were non-digital games — an intentional choice. In a doctoral school focused on digital humanism, stepping away from screens highlighted that technology is embedded in broader social, cultural, and political contexts.

The Vision that Technology Serves Society and Democratic Values

The second morning was dedicated to structured reflection with Florina and Tomasz about DMP. The Key questions in practical use remain the same, no matter the setting:  

• How solid is my methodology?
• Is my data strategy coherent?
• What ethical or legal risks might arise?

The after-noon session finally was the opportunity for the PhD candidates to discuss among themselves the set- up and organisation of their PhD Club and to start the election process for the representativs for the steering board of our college.

Digital Humanism calls for technology that serves society and democratic values. This retreat demonstrated that it starts in everyday research practices: how do we document decisions, how we engage with others, and how we reflect on our own assumptions. It comes down to the integration of three dimensions:

1. Technical competence (data management, FAIR principles, ..)
2. Ethical awareness (legal, societal, and political implications)
3. Reflective and creative methods (serious games / interdisciplinary dialogue)

The two days in Reichenau showed that doctoral education in Digital Humanism is not just about research but about shaping responsible and engaged researchers.

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Poster Presentation at EFPSA Congress 2026: “Breaking Boundaries – Uniting Minds Across Borders and Disciplines”

At the 40^th Congress of EFPSA 2026, Doris Avram from the Vienna Doctoral School on Digital Humanism presented her pilot study that bridges environmental science, human behavior, and digital innovation. Her research, “Navigating Urban Heat in Public Space,” examines how rising temperatures are reshaping the way people move through cities and how technology can support better adaptation.

In this interview, Doris explains how “Navigating Heat” as a research project is built and how to start with the pilot study coming up.

Cities across Europe are increasingly affected by extreme heat, turning everyday activities like walking into cognitively and physically demanding tasks. Avram’s work highlights a critical insight: heat influences not only comfort but also cognition, stress levels, and decision-making. Even without conscious discomfort, physiological signals such as heart rate and skin temperature can already indicate strain.

The study introduces an innovative field experiment combining wearable technology with environmental sensing. Participants are equipped with devices that track heart rate, heart rate variability, skin temperature, and movement, while portable sensors measure air temperature, humidity, and air quality. During a 20–30 minute wayfinding task in an unfamiliar urban setting, researchers observe how individuals navigate between shaded and sun-exposed areas.

What makes this approach particularly powerful is the synchronization of physiological, environmental, and behavioral data. This enables analysis of how thermal exposure affects route choices, pauses, efficiency, and perceived stress. The study expects that higher heat exposure leads to more shade-seeking behavior, less efficient navigation, and increased cognitive load.

Using an interdisciplinary approach that combines psychology, architecture, and computer science, the project aims to refine a methodology applicable to vulnerable groups, such as older adults. Ultimately, it will support the development of a “heat-aware” navigation tool that guides pedestrians along cooler, safer routes in real time.

Doris PhD project exemplifies digital humanism by placing human well-being at the center of technological innovation. It shows how data-driven insights can help create more livable, resilient cities.

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Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work and, with it, cultural creativity. This is also changing our understanding of creativity in a wide variety of disciplines. The WISH 2026 winter school, organised by Universität Augsburg and Technische Hochschule, discussed these interactions between technology, society and culture.

The first talk, held by Peter Knees (TU Wien), discussed the concept digital humanism. Digitalisation is much more than technical progress – it is a social task. Algorithms and AI systems now influence decisions in business, the media and everyday life. Therefore, their development must be considered not only from a technological perspective, but also from an ethical, social and political point of view. Digital humanism puts people at the centre: technologies should be designed in such a way that they strengthen democratic values, promote transparency and take social responsibility into account.

Peter Knees emphasised in particular the importance of education and critical reflection. Anyone working with AI should understand how these systems work, what data they use and what distortions can arise.

Participants at WISH2026 (March 3-7 2026) Speinshart Scientific Center, Germany

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Healthcare facilities are a form of social infrastructure where architecture, human behavior, and digital systems interact to shape wellbeing. The inspiring talk of Milica Vujovic, Associate Professor at Institute of Architectural Sciences, Unit of Digital Architecture and Planning, kicked off the start into our summer semester 2026. The conclusion: in truly human-centered environments, technology should not dominate the experience — it should quietly support it. 

The key is that the technology remains non-intrusive and largely invisible, preserving dignity and autonomy for residents.

Similar approaches can be found in newer dementia villages and psychiatric facilities across Northern Europe. Passive sensors, adaptive lighting systems that support circadian rhythms, and intelligent environmental controls allow caregivers to understand patterns of comfort, stress, and activity without turning patients into constantly monitored subjects.

In this sense, digital systems function less as interfaces and more as care infrastructure. They support staff, reduce cognitive load, and allow more time for meaningful human interaction.

“This approach reflects a core principle of Digital Humanism: technology should enhance human agency rather than replace it. Data is used to understand patterns over time, not to control individuals. The design focus remains on dignity, autonomy, and the lived experience of patients.”

Milica Vujovic

For researchers working at the intersection of architecture, technology, and society, this perspective opens an important question:

What if the most human-centered technology is the one we barely notice?

Digital Humanism does not always appear as software or algorithms. Sometimes, it is embedded in the spaces we inhabit — quietly shaping environments that support wellbeing, autonomy, and care.

LinkedIN Profile

Starting into the Summer Semester 2026 with the Colloquium and Talk by Milica Vujovic, TU Wien

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At the topical debate “AI vs. Planet: Peril or Opportunity?”, Lena Pohlmann delivered a compelling and nuanced perspective on the environmental costs of artificial intelligence with her talk “AI design, planetary health”. Drawing on her interdisciplinary background in physics, philosophy of technology, and computer science, Lena outlined: 

AI is not immaterial — it is deeply embedded in planetary infrastructures. 

Her talk unpacked the entire lifecycle of AI systems, from rare mineral extraction and hardware manufacturing to data-center cooling and energy-intensive training, inference of AI models. With rapid growth projected as AI adoption accelerates, data centers will probably account for around 3% of global electricity consumption by 2030. Lena Pohlmann argued that there is lacking transparency by AI companies regarding those impacts

Lena presenting at the Central European University, January 2026

As a PhD candidate at the Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism, Lena bridges technical analysis with societal inquiry. Her research examines not only the embodied and operational environmental impacts of AI, but also public awareness of these. By combining quantitative social science methods with qualitative interviews in communities near data centers, she will evaluate how environmental costs are unevenly distributed.

Importantly, the talk highlights future research directions for alternative sustainable AI systems. In her PhD project, Lena will analyze how users needs of AI can be met while decreasing environmental impact and how they can be supported to make more informed, sustainability-oriented AI choices.

“Responsible AI innovation is where sustainability is not an add-on, but a core design and governance challenge — and one that demands interdisciplinary solutions.“

About Lena Pohlmann

Lena Pohlmann has an interdisciplinary background with a Bachelor’s degree in Physics, a Master’s degree in Philosophy of Technology from TU Berlin, and research experience in Computer Science. She is a PhD candidate at the Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism with home institution University of Vienna, Political Communication Research Group.

The PhD Project “AI Innovation and Sustainability is supervised by Prof. Dr. Sophie Lecheler (Uni Wien), Prof. Dr. Hajo Boomgarden (Uni Wien) and Prof. Dr. Emanuel Salinger (TU Wien).

LinkedIN Profile

PhD Project Description “AI Innovation and Sustainability”

Lena Pohlmann PhD Project Poster

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Digital Humanism has emerged as a critical framework for understanding and shaping the interaction between digital technologies and human values.

Marta Sabou, Head of the Institute for Data, Process and Knowledge Management at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) and Scientific Programme Coordinator of our Doctoral College embodies this perspective consistently. Her academic trajectory illustrates how knowledge engineering and interdisciplinary research can converge to address complex socio-technical challenges.

“The central and enduring question is: how do we transfer human knowledge into the computer in a way that preserves meaning, context, and causality?”

A key technical answer to this question has been the development of knowledge graphs, a knowledge representation format whose conceptual roots can be traced back to the 1960s. Long before contemporary AI applications, graph-based knowledge representations were designed to model entities, relations, and semantics explicitly. Marta’s research situates knowledge graphs not as static data structures, but as agile socio-technical artifacts that connect data, processes, and human understanding—an approach that aligns directly with the principles of digital humanism.

A defining element of Marta Sabou’s career is her experience at Siemens, where she served as Key Expert for Semantic Technologies. Working on concrete use cases in smart infrastructures, such as smart grids and smart buildings within the Aspern Smart City Research project, sharpened her understanding of the importance of research collaboration between industry and academia.

This insight is directly reflected in her role within the Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism, where interdisciplinarity is not optional but essential. Addressing digital humanism requires collaboration across computer science, social sciences, economics, and philosophy. Marta also highlights that the valorization of PhD research occurs on multiple levels – ranging from scientific excellence and publications to societal impact and industrial transfer.

Marta Sabou’s career demonstrates how digital humanism can be realized through knowledge-based AI, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a reflective approach to building intelligent systems—systems that do not merely compute but meaningfully engage with the real world.

“What problems we want to solve, which systems are appropriate, how data is collected, and what kind of causal knowledge is embedded in digital infrastructures? This perspective moves beyond classical software engineering toward a more reflective, human-centered approach to AI and data-driven systems.”

Marta Sabou

Marta presenting at the DigHum College Kick-off on November 17, 2025

About Prof. Dr. Marta Sabou

Marta Sabou is Professor for Information Systems at WU Wien. In her research, she focuses on creating advanced AI systems for solving tasks with positive societal impact. Her main background is in symbolic AI (knowledge engineering, ontologies, knowledge graphs), human computation, and neurosymbolic systems.

LinkedIN Profile

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In her keynote “Digital Humanism in Action”, Katja Mayer frames Digital Humanism not as a fixed doctrine but as a situated, critical, and interdisciplinary practice. The Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism translates this perspective into concrete research through its PhD projects, which collectively demonstrate how digital humanism becomes real through design choices, research methods, and societal engagement.

“Taken together, the PhD projects of the Vienna Doctoral College demonstrate that Digital Humanism is not merely a normative label. It is a research practice that asks difficult questions about power, materiality, and responsibility; that values diversity as constitutive of knowledge; and that understands interdisciplinarity as a collaborative journey. In this sense, the doctoral college does not just teach Digital Humanism – it enacts it.”

Dr Katja Mayer, University of Vienna, Member of the DigHum College Advisory Board

A central argument of her keynote is that technology is “society made durable” (Bruno Latour) and that digital systems must be made knowable through unpacking, translation, and sharing. This is directly reflected in projects focusing on explainability, transparency, and trust. For example, research on explainable recommender systems and the visualization of argumentation networks seeks to open algorithmic black boxes, enabling users and stakeholders to understand, question, and contest automated decisions. These projects embody Digital Humanism’s commitment to epistemic accessibility and democratic accountability.

The theme of democracy, fairness, and the politics of design appears in projects on AI as a democratic actor, participatory budgeting, and norm-sensitive AI systems. These projects bridge political theory, legal reasoning, and computer science, operationalising democratic values into technical specifications and decision-making processes. In doing so, they move beyond ethics as an afterthought and treat it as an integral design principle.

Another key dimension is socio-materiality and planetary limits. This perspective is mirrored in projects addressing the environmental impacts of AI infrastructure and climate-adaptive digital systems. Research on the materiality of AI data centres foregrounds energy, water use, and ecological trade-offs, while sensor-based wayfinding under extreme heat conditions connects digital systems to embodied human experience and climate resilience. These projects reflect a Digital Humanism that acknowledges the physical, environmental, and infrastructural conditions underlying digital technologies.

Mayer’s emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and situated knowledge is echoed in projects on linguistic diversity, trust in generative AI, and open science infrastructures. Investigations into how digitization affects endangered languages challenge assumptions of technological neutrality and highlight uneven cultural impacts. Similarly, work on open science infrastructures examines whose knowledge is documented, shared, and reused, and under what conditions—aligning closely with feminist epistemology and STS traditions discussed in the keynote.

Finally, the Vienna Doctoral College exemplifies inter-, pluri-, and transdisciplinarity beyond rhetoric. Every PhD project is co-supervised across institutions and disciplines, combining methods from computer science, social sciences, humanities, law, and design. Persistent frictions—between quantitative and qualitative methods, formal models and lived experience—are treated not as obstacles but as productive spaces for knowledge generation, precisely as envisioned in Mayer’s account of Digital Humanism in action.

The conclusion of the inspiring kick-off showed a Digital Humanism in practice that:

values diversity not as decoration but as constitutive of democratic life and scientific knowledge production.

treats interdisciplinarity as a collaborative journey rather than a checkbox.

asks difficult questions about norms, fairness, participation, and power

recognizes the materiality and ecological footprint of digital systems

About Dr Katja Mayer

Dr Katja Mayer is member of the advisory board of the Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism and Senior Scientist at the Centre for Social Innovation ZSI and a sociologist at the STS department of the University of Vienna. She works at the intersection of science, technology, and society. Since 2019, she has focused on the politics of open science and open data in the context of computational social sciences and AI. Dr Mayer has served as the PI for international research projects and as a rapporteur for the European Commission’s Open Science MLE in 2018. She has contributed extensively to policy advice and promoting open science, citizen science, and open digital research infrastructures. Her practical experience from prior work in the IT industry and her former role as a research advisor to the President of the European Research Council ERC have enriched her transdisciplinary approach. Additionally, she has mentored and trained individuals in open research practices and has taught STS, citizen science and critical data studies at TU Munich and the University of Lucerne, among others.

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Colourful kick-off event at the Vienna Urania: about the complex interplay between technology and society

The kick-off event offered exciting insights into the strategy and implementation of digital humanism in the City of Vienna. In her welcoming address, Veronica Kaup-Hasler, City Councillor for Culture and Science, emphasised the importance of combining theory and practice in a way that puts people at the centre. Michael Strassnig, Deputy Managing Director WWTF, gave an overview of the various activities of the City of Vienna in the field of digital humanism.

The three vice-rectors of the participating universities – Peter Ertl (TU Wien), Manuela Baccarini (University of Vienna/Uni Wien) and Bernadette Kamleitner (Vienna University of Economics and Business/WU Wien) – underlined the importance of a joint, interdisciplinary approach. Technology and its development are never neutral, but also influenced by social and economic perspectives.

Interdisciplinary research in practice: Will technology serve humanity – or will humanity adapt to serve technology? A central focus of the doctoral programme is the introduction to interdisciplinary methodology. The three scientific programme coordinators Peter Knees (TU Wien, UNESCO Chair on Digital Humanism), Sophie Lecheler (Uni Wien) Marta Sabou and Jan Maly (WU Wien) explained how different scientific perspectives and methods are combined in the doctoral programme.

The PhD projects were presented in peer-to-peer interviews with questions around methods, frameworks and potential impact on a societal, technological and economical level.

The project posters facilitate discussions and explain questions:

Critical and creative minds to lead the conversation: the concluding keynote by Katja Mayer

The keynote speech by Katja Mayer (University of Vienna) directly reflected on the students’ projects. It concluded this inspiring day and show a Digital Humanism in practice that:

treats interdisciplinarity as a collaborative journey rather than a checkbox.

asks difficult questions about norms, fairness, participation, and power

recognizes the materiality and ecological footprint of digital systems

values diversity not as decoration but as constitutive of democratic life and scientific knowledge production.

---

View from the Dachsaal of Urania Sternwarte, Pic Courtesy Petra Steinkogler

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A Vibrant Kick-off Event at Vienna’s Urania Observatory

The kick-off event at the historic Vienna Urania provided valuable insights – from strategy of the City of Vienna until its practical implementation in our DocCollege.

In her opening remarks, Veronika Kaup-Hasler, Vienna City Councillor for Culture and Science, emphasized the importance of bridging theory and practice while keeping human needs at the forefront. Michael Strassnig, Deputy Managing Director of the WWTF, highlighted the City of Vienna’s wide range of activities and funding initiatives that promote Digital Humanism as a strategic priority.

The vice-rectors of our participating universities – Peter Ertl (TU Wien), Manuela Baccarini (University of Vienna), and Bernadette Kamleitner (WU Vienna) – reinforced the necessity of a joint, interdisciplinary approach. They stressed that technological development is never neutral, but is shaped by social, cultural, and economic contexts.

Interdisciplinary Research in Action

A core component of the doctoral programme is its focus on interdisciplinary methodologies. The scientific coordinators Peter Knees (TU Wien, UNESCO Chair on Digital Humanism), Sophie Lecheler (University of Vienna), Marta Sabou and Jan Maly (both WU Vienna) explained how different academic perspectives and methods are integrated to address complex digital challenges.

The PhD Project presentations by the doctoral students showcased this interdisciplinary practice in action, offering concrete examples of how diverse research approaches can be combined to generate insights and propose valuable and meaningful solutions.

The event concluded with an inspiring keynote by Katja Mayer (University of Vienna), who directly engaged with the students’ projects and reflected on their significance within the broader landscape of Digital Humanism.

Photo Credits: Pic 1: WU Wien / C. Bachmaier, Pic 2 + 3: WWTF / P. Steinkogler

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The welcoming session brought together the cohort of doctoral students and faculty members from all three partner universities. Besides a short introduction by the coordination team, an interactive round helped participants get to know each other across disciplines and institutions.

In the upcoming semester, activities will include our monthly research colloquium featuring talks on key themes of Digital Humanism, follow-up workshops for in-depth discussions among PhD students, and weekly co-working days at the programme’s shared base, the Education Lab.

The Education Lab provides a shared space where doctoral students and supervisors from all three universities can meet, work, and exchange ideas, serving as a hub for ongoing collaboration.

This semester’s colloquium sessions will focus on the Foundations of Digital Humanism, Data Science and Society, and Work, Organisation, and Digital Transformation. Together, these activities set the tone for a semester centred on exchange, reflection, and mutual learning.

📸 Photos: Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism

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Read the article on kurier.at (in German)

Download the article as PDF (in German)

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The talks reflected Digital Humanism with its global dimension: only a global perspective will lead us to sustainable answers. The summer school allowed us to include this view thanks to its international participants, both students and lecturers, and we were glad to have the opportunity to exchange with participants from Kigali (Ruanda), where the first digHum Summer school took place in July.

Everything, everywhere, all at once: Peter Knees was highlighting the most important things on the current to-do list. It is ethical development and research, interdisciplinarity, involvement of the society and: taking responsibility while being creative.

We thank our friends from CAIML (Center for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning / TU Wien Informatics) for organising this meaningful conference.

The presentation slides of the lectures are accessible here.

Group picture, from left to right:

Peter Knees TU (College Scientific Lead), Stefan Foster  (Project “Visualization of Argumentation Networks”), Salome Wagner TU (Program Coordinator), Hannes Essfors Uni Wien (ass. Project “Digitization and linguistic diversity”), Hanna Kern WU (ass. Project “Participatory budgeting and citizens”), Prof. Dr. Julia Neidhardt TU (Faculty Member), Alicia Schwabenbauer  (Project “AI Literacy and Inclusive User Design”), Shahrzad Shashaani TU (Project “Recommendations Explained: Towards Transparency and Fairness for Various Stakeholders”)

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Registration for this event is now closed.

You are kindly invited to join the official Kick-off of the 

Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism.

We look forward to sharing with you the development of our college with its interdisciplinary research focus. The event is open to all with an interest in Digital Humanism, including researchers, students, policy-makers, and members of the public. Special guests will include representatives from the Vienna Science and Technology Fund (WWTF), the City of Vienna, and leadership from TU Wien, University of Vienna, and WU Vienna.

‘The “Digital Humanism” doctoral programme is more than just a research programme – it is an investment in the future of our society.’ *
Veronica Kaup-Hasler, Executive City Councillor Cultural Affairs and Science, City of Vienna

Wednesday, 19^th of November 2025

09:30h – 16:00h

Urania Sternwarte / Dachgeschoss, Uraniastraße 1, 1010 Vienna

Agenda

9:30 – 10:00      Arrival & Welcome Coffee        

10:00 – 10:50    Welcome & Opening Remarks            

• Veronica Kaup-Hasler, City of Vienna (Stadt Wien) to be confirmed
• Michael Strassnig (Deputy Managing Director WWTF)
• Peter Ertl (Vice-Rector of Research, Innovation and International Affairs, TU Wien)
• Manuela Baccarini (Vice Rector for Research and International Affairs, University of Vienna)
• Bernadette Kamleitner (Vice Rector for Research and Third Mission, WU Vienna)

10:50 – 11:15    Introduction to the Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism

Interdisciplinarity and transfer of methods: How we are shaping a responsible, digital future  

• Peter Knees (TU Wien) 
• Sophie Lecheler (University of Vienna)
• Marta Sabou (WU Vienna) 
• Jan Maly (WU Vienna)

11:15 – 11:30 Coffee Break

11:30 – 12:30    Interview-Spotlight on PhD Projects: What, why, how. 

Interdisciplinarity in research practice 

• PhD Students presenting their projects

12:30 – 14:00    Lunch & Networking

14:00 – 15:00    Keynote + Discussion: Digital Humanism in Action** 

Digital Humanism calls for a rethinking of our relationship with technology, knowledge, and society. But what does this mean in concrete research practice: in the everyday work of a new generation of scholars?

• Katja Mayer (University of Vienna)

15:00 – 16:00h               Closing Remarks, Networking, Coffee + Gugelhupf

** Key Note Digital Humanism in Action
Digital Humanism calls for a rethinking of our relationship with technology, knowledge, and society. But what does this mean in concrete research practice: in the everyday work of a new generation of scholars?

This keynote will respond to the themes and questions emerging from the morning session, exploring where we currently see the most promising opportunities, exemplary initiatives, and open spaces for action within Digital Humanism. It will also reflect on the critical challenges we face: how to sustain interdisciplinarity beyond rhetoric, how to balance openness with responsibility, and how to translate values such as democracy, justice, and participation into the design and governance of digital systems especially in times of extreme politics, polarization, and the pervasive experiences of doom and gloom that shape our collective imagination.

Rather than offering fixed answers, this talk aims to invite collective reflection on how Digital Humanism can evolve as a living practice; one that not only studies but also shapes the conditions for a responsible digital future.

Dr Katja Mayer is Senior Scientist at the Centre for Social Innovation ZSI and a sociologist at the STS department of the University of Vienna. She works at the intersection of science, technology, and society. Since 2019, she has focused on the politics of open science and open data in the context of computational social sciences and AI.

*Verbatim: Media Release published by the City of Vienna and WWTF on October, 28th, 2024: „Digitaler Humanismus: Neues Doktoratskolleg an drei Wiener Unis startet“

Registration is now closed.
We look forward to officially kicking off the DigHum Doctoral College with you!

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Doctoral candidates will become part of a vibrant research community at TU Wien, University of Vienna, and WU Wien, benefit from joint supervision, structured training, and a collaborative environment that bridges academic disciplines.

Topics include interdisciplinary approaches to user modeling in data-driven systems, sensor-driven adaptive navigation systems, AI knowledge communication and co-production, regulatory enforcement in digital governance, and infrastructure design for open science data ecosystems.

Download the full call [PDF] for detailed information on research areas, application requirements, and instructions on how to apply.

The application period is now closed.

For any questions, please feel free to contact us at dighum-dc@ec.tuwien.ac.at.

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As part of the session “10 DigHum Projects in Action”, Peter Knees (TU Wien) introduced the vision, structure, and goals of our Doctoral College. The session brought together key initiatives funded by the Vienna Science and Technology Fund (WWTF) to highlight how interdisciplinary research can contribute to shaping digital technologies in alignment with human values. It was an honor to be among such inspiring projects and to see Digital Humanism thriving as a growing field of inquiry.

The conference was special to us for another reason: our very first cohort of doctoral researchers met in person for the first time. After months of online introductions and preparation, seeing the group come together at the heart of Vienna’s digital humanism community was a meaningful and energizing moment for everyone involved. These early days of connection are already laying the foundation for what we hope will become a strong, engaged, and collaborative community of researchers.

We’re just getting started, and we look forward to growing together as a community and contributing to the global conversation on Digital Humanism.

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The episode, filmed at TU Wien’s Pilotfabrik, delved into the future of research and the importance of interdisciplinary education in addressing complex societal challenges. This perspective aligns with the mission of the Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism, which aims to cultivate a new generation of researchers adept at navigating the intersections of technology, society, and human values.

You can watch the full interview here: Krone TV Interview

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Further Information

Digital technology profoundly shapes the world we live in by revolutionizing virtually all areas of human life. Therefore, it is paramount to identify and mitigate any undesirable effects of the currently ongoing digital transformation while also amplifying its positive impact on society. This is the mission of Digital Humanism, which deals with digital technology development and policies based on human rights, democracy, inclusion, and diversity.

The newly established Vienna Doctoral College on Digital Humanism invites applications from outstanding candidates eager to shape the future of this emerging interdisciplinary field. The Doctoral College is located across the TU Wien, University of Vienna, and WU Wien and its doctoral candidates tackle critical societal challenges arising from digital transformation. The Doctoral College offers a unique opportunity to conduct interdisciplinary research at the intersection of Informatics and Social Sciences/Humanities.

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