Information Institute (iInstitute)

Figure 1: Major current and planned nodes to be included in the iSchool:

1. Undergraduate:

• Bachelor in Library and Information Science (Swedish distance and campus modes; 180 ECTS; Department of Cultural Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Humanities).
• Bachelor in Interactive Media and Web Technologies, with two tracks decided in the second year (Swedish campus mode; 180 ECTS; Department of Media Technology, Faculty of Technology).
• Bachelor in Information Science (international distance mode; several departments from Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Technology) (in creation).

2. Graduate:

• Master in Cultural Sciences (Swedish campus mode; 120 ECTS; Department of Cultural Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Humanities).
• Master in Social Media and Web Technologies (international distance and campus mode; 120 ECTS; Department of Media Technology, Faculty of Technology).
• Master in e-Health (Swedish distance mode; 120 ECTS; Faculty of Health Sciences).
• Master in Digital Humanities (international distance mode; several departments from Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Technology, School of Business and Economics) (in creation, pilot started in the autumn of 2017).
• Master in Data Sciences (international distance mode; a number of departments from all five faculties of Linnaeus University, led by Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Technology) (core modules existing, pilot to be announced).
• Master in Information Management (international distance mode; a number of departments from all five faculties of Linnaeus University, led by Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Technology) (core modules existing, pilot to be announced).
• Master in Digital Learning (a number of departments from Faculty of Technology and Faculty of Social Sciences).

3. Doctorate:

• PhD in Computer and Information Science (a joint PhD program between Department of Informatics, Department of Media Technology and Department of Computer Science, all at Faculty of Technology).
• PhD in Contract Archaeology (GRASCA), related both to Digital Humanities (focus on digital archaeology), information mediation and communication and database handling (Faculty of Arts and Humanities)
• PhD in Biomedicine with focus on Health and Pharmaceutical Informatics (Faculty of Health and Life Sciences).
• PhD in Library and Information Science (in creation, by the end of 2018) (Faculty of Arts and Humanities).

4. Research nodes:

• DISA – Data Intensive Sciences and Applications, Centre of Excellence with secured funding of circa 7.3 million Euro over the next 5 years (researchers from all 5 faculties, run by Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Technology).
• E-Health Institute.
• Gunilla Bradley Centre for Digital Business (researchers from several faculties, run by Department of Informatics, Faculty of Technology).
• CeLeKT: Centre for Learning and Knowledge Technologies (researchers from several departments from Faculty of Technology, run by Department of Media Technology, Faculty of Technology).

5. IEC (Information Engineering Centre)

• A research and collaboration project at LNU, aimed at creating new businesses, new jobs and increased competitiveness through cooperation between research, business and the community. IEC's vision is to transform the Linnaeus region into northern Europe's most attractive IT region. It currently involves over 200 IT companies.

External supporters

Asia

• Sam Oh, PhD, Professor, Sungkyunkwan University(SKKU), LIS and Data Science; Chair, iSchool Caucus (2018-2019)

Australia

• Ying-Hsang Liu, PhD, Lecturer, School of Information Studies, Charles Sturt University

Europe

• Andrew M. Cox, Senior Lecturer, University of Sheffield
• Jens-Erik Mai, PhD, Professor, Head of Department, Department of Information Studies, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
• Isto Huvila, PhD, Professor, Uppsala University
• Paavo Aarvola, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Tampere
• António Lucas Soares, PhD, Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto
• Kim Tallerås, PhD, Assistant Professor, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences
• Tatjana Aparac-Jelusic, PhD, Distinguished Professor, retired from University of Zadar, Croatia

United States

• Christine Borgman, PhD, Distinguished Professor, University of California at Los Angeles
• Geoffrey C. Bowker, PhD, Chancellor's Professor, University of California at Irvine
• Andrew Dillon, PhD, Professor and Dean, School of Information, University of Texas at Austin
• Michael B. Eisenberg, PhD, Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus, a founder of the iSchools movement
• Marija Dalbello, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Communication and Information, Rutgers University
• Joseph T. Tennis, PhD, Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Information School, University of Washington

What others have said of iInstitute

Letter of recommendation for Linnaeus University, by Sam Oh (follow this link)

"In the information age, every university needs a unit that brings faculty and students together from across the institution to focus on the key knowledge, skills, and issues of information and technology. Welcome, Linnaeus University, to the global community that does just that - to the iSchool community.

I think the idea of establishing an information school with those elements is both innovative and very exciting... I think it could help lay the foundation for what an iSchool could also be!"

Michael B. Eisenberg, Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus, a founder of the iSchools movement.

"The most pressing problems of the 21st century are trans-disciplinary and invariably mediated by information or its associated technologies. To lead change, scholarship must cross boundaries and equip the next generation of graduates to think in terms of leveraging human abilities through new IT. There is no single subject or discipline for this, it has to be outside traditional boundaries or it will not work. To do this, an iSchool at your university is essential. Without it, progress will invariably be limited and narrow."

Andrew Dillon, Head of iSchool, University of Texas as Austin

"This is an exciting new venture which will place Linnaeus University at the forefront internationally of the burgeoning iSchool movement. Since information occupies a central place in our society – from data science to social media, from library classification to knowledge organization – it is both appropriate and timely that this innovative institute is being created".

Geoffrey C. Bowker, Chancellor's Professor, University of California at Irvine

"I think the idea of establishing an information school with those elements is both innovative and very exciting... I think it could help lay the foundation for what an iSchool could also be!"

Jens-Erik Mai, Head of Department, Department of Information Studies, University of Copenhagen

"...assembling quite a diverse set of units seems to me a novel and potentially very fruitful approach."

Andrew M Cox, Senior Lecturer, University of Sheffield

"I am so glad that you and your colleagues continue with efforts to join the iSchool community. I have been involved with the development of iSchools in the United States from early beginnings as an external follower and even had a privilege to attend their iCaucus meeting in Washington in 2007. There I learned about the importance to discuss the future of LIS education and profession in regards of strengthening the position of LIS departments inside University by opening up and designing new profiles with other, relevant, departments/programs.

By all means, to my knowledge, your Department managed to attract the attention of other teachers/researchers at your University up to now, and it seems to me that by entering the iSchool family you could gain more strength both in teaching and research area. Having said that, I mean that potentials of cooperation not only between departments at your own University but also with other Universities across Europe and wider, could enable you to submit research proposals, cooperate in PhD education and exchange students and teachers/researchers with other iSchools.

I am very glad to learn that M. Seadle and S. Oh visited your University and hope that this visit opened up new possibilities for your department, digital humanities and other fields in which LIS could contribute a lot."

Tatjana Aparac-Jelusic, Distinguished Professor, retired, University of Zadar, Croatia

The iSchool project at Linnaeus University, November 2016-November 2017

For more information on the iSchool project, please follow this link!