iInstitute
The iInstitute at Linnaeus University is a member of the international iSchools organization, providing interdisciplinary education in the digital humanities, computer science, health science, and other fields related to digital information.
Managed and advised by colleagues representing the wide breadth of related disciplines, the iInstitute hosts workshops and seminars, including the annual Baladria Summer School in Digital Humanities. Find recent highlights below, in addition to the vision and strategy for the iInstitute at Linnaeus University.
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About iInstitute and iSchools
Today, the iSchool organisation involves over 100 prestigious universities from around the world. The aim of the iSchools organisation is to promote and practice the iField. Disciplines of the iField include computer science, library and information science, business informatics, knowledge management, business, sociology, psychology, philosophy, ethics, linguistics, media, with a range of applied fields and disciplines such as astronomy, medicine, biology, health, history, religion, archaeology, musicology, literature, art.
The need for the iField and the iSchool at Linnaeus University is best described in the following paragraph by Professor Andrew Dillon, Head of iSchool at the University of Austin at the time, Linnaeus University's iSchool project advisor (2017):"
"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".
Linnaeus University got accepted as a member of the iSchools organisation in December 2017.
All activities (upcoming and completed)
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Semantic metadata enrichment and data augmentation of small museum collections following the FAIR principles Webinar
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Critical perspectives on cultural heritage: Re-visiting digitisation
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The Ethics of Datafication and AI Webinar
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Legal tools for digital humanities research: Processing research data in compliance with European copyright and data privacy law
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Linked Open Cultural Heritage Data Seminar
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Beyond Wikipedia: cultural heritage and LOD on the Wikimedia platforms Seminar
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Urgent images: Temporal engagements with images of violence Seminar
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Why digital? Museums Digitisation and its use for Stakeholders Seminar
Head of iInstitute
iAdvisors
- Peter Bath, Professor, Head of School and Professor of Health Informatics, Information School, University of Sheffield
- Christine L. Borgman, Distinguished Research Professor, Director, UCLA Center for Knowledge Infrastructures, UCLA iSchool, University of California at Los Angeles
- Geoffrey C. Bowker, Professor, Director, Values in Design Laboratory, Department of Informatics, School of Information and Computer Science, University of California at Irvine
- Andrew Dillon, V. M. Daniel Professor of Information Science, School of Information, University of Texas
- Amy J. Ko, Associate Professor, Program Chair, Informatics, The Information School, University of Washington
- Sam Oh, Professor, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), SKKU iSchool, LIS and Data Science, Chair, iSchools Consortium
iAffiliates
Faculty of Arts and Humanities
- Charlie Järpvall, Senior Lecturer, Department of Cultural Sciences
- Daniel Sundberg, Doctoral student, Department of Languages
- Fredrik Hanell, Senior lecturer, Department of Cultural Sciences
- Joacim Hansson, Professor, Department of Cultural Sciences
- Ludvig Papmehl-Dufay, Senior lecturer, Department of Cultural Sciences
- Sara Ahlryd, Lecturer, Department of Cultural Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
- Lina Nilsson, Senior Lecturer, Department of Medicine and Optometry
- Tora Hammar, Senior Lecturer, Department of Medicine and Optometry
Faculty of Social Sciences
- Italo Masiello, Professor, Department of Pedagogy and Learning
Faculty of Technology
- Anita Mirijamdotter, Professor, Department of Informatics
- Henrik Andersen, Lecturer, Department of Computer Science and Media Technology
- Jenny Lundberg, Senior Lecturer, Department of Computer Science and Media Technology
- Karl Johan Rosqvist, Lecturer, Department of Computer Science and Media Technology
- Martin Östlund, Lecturer, Department of Computer Science and Media Technology
- Sarfraz Iqbal, Associate senior lecturer, Department of Informatics
- Stergios Adamopoulos, Professor, Department of Forestry and Wood Technology
School of Business and Economics
- Arash Kordestan, Senior Lecturer, Department of Accounting and Logistics
2024
- Critical Knowledge Organization, a new research group established in October 2024, https://lnu.se/en/research/research-groups/critical-knowledge-organization/.
2023
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Anders Högberg (https://lnu.se/personal/anders.hogberg/) becomes Chair of the Steering Group for the national infrastructure SwedigArch https://swedigarch.se
- The European/African region of the iSchools Organisation now has a multilateral Erasmus agreement for student and staff exchanges, and iInstitute has played a key role in establishing it and is now an active participant in the agreement; for more information, please see https://www.ischools.org/erasmus-plus
- Linnaeus and Uppsala extend their membership in DARIAH-EU as cooperative partners. News link: https://www.dariah.eu/2023/10/11/linnaeus-university-and-uppsala-university-join-dariah-as-cooperating-partners/
- Project ”Cultivating Information, Organizing Culture”aims at establishing a cross-disciplinary, international research network focused on issues concerning classification, culture and new media. Participating organizations: Copenhagen University; Linnaeus University. under: Carlsberg Foundation. Timetable:
1 July 2023–30 June 2025. More about the project: https://lnu.se/en/research/research-projects/project-cultivating-information-organizing-culture/ - Swedish National Doctoral School in Digital Humanities: Data, Culture, and Society – Critical Perspectives (DASH) received funding from the Swedish Research Council (VR). Partners: Uppsala University, Umeå University, Linnaeus University and Gothenburg University. For more information and to apply, please visit https://www.abm.uu.se/cdhu-eng/Training+and+education/dash/
- Digital Humanities Master’s student Silvia Sanchez Membrilla was awarded scholarship by Stiftelsen Riksarkivets samfond (https://riksarkivet.se/stipendier) to support archival science-relevant research and other activities in the field of cultural heritage. The scholarship covers the travel costs for her research (4000kr) at the Museum of World Culture in Gothenburg. Her thesis explores issues and opportunities outcoming from the digitisation of indigenous collections (in this case, the so-called Erland Nordernskiöld’s collection) when using the in-house collection management system Carlotta
- We have extended our cooperative partnership with DARIAH-EU, for another three years, starting with 10 May 2023. We hope that we can submit national, Swedish application within the national Huminfra infrastructure (huminfra.se)
- Third Baladria Summer School in Digital Humanities, in collaboration with Zadar University, now a Master-level course and open for applications
- Now hiring: Lecturer in Digital Humanities https://lnu.se/en/meet-linnaeus-university/work-at-the-university/?rmpage=job&rmjob=7280&rmlang=UK
- Now hiring: PhD student in Digital Humanities https://lnu.se/en/meet-linnaeus-university/work-at-the-university/?rmpage=job&rmjob=7293&rmlang=UK
2022
- Key iInstitute highlights 2022 The Swedish Research Council has awarded funding for two research schools, one within library and information studies (“Läsningens och källkritikens omvandling i digitala kulturer”, 23 000 000 SEK, led by Borås iSchool) and the other within digital humanities (“Data, kultur och samhälle: Kritiska perspektiv. En nationell forskarskola i digital humaniora”, 7 831 000 SEK, led by Uppsala University). 6 December 2022.
- Best iInstitute PhD thesis in 2022, submitted to the iConference PhD awards committee, was Nico Reski’s work titled “Supporting Data Interaction and Hybrid Asymmetric Collaboration Using Virtual Reality Within the Context of Immersive Analytics”. Supervisors: Aris Alissandrakis and Andreas Kerren. Defended: 30 September 2022. Available at http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-115654
- Third Baladria Summer School in Digital Humanities, in collaboration with Zadar University, now a Master-level course and open for applications.
- An interview with Koraljka Golub about research on subject searching in online museums of Sweden, conducted at the Swedish National Heritage Board, 21 January 2022. Available at https://www.raa.se/omvarld-och-insikt/svart-soka-information-i-museers-digitala-samlingar/
- A WASP-HS project will investigate how artificial intelligence can future-proof our cultural heritage, help curation of archival materials as well as provide better search and access to them https://lnu.se/en/meet-linnaeus-university/current/news/2022/sek-4-million-to-research-on-intelligent-handling-of-archives/
- Baladria Summer School on Digital Humanities, 13-17 June 2022
2021
- Best iInstitute PhD thesis in 2021, submitted to the iConference PhD awards committee, was Niki Chatzipanagiotou’s work titled “Managers' Cooperative Work Practices in Computational Artefacts-Supported Library Systems. Supervisors: Anita Mirijamdotter, Jaime Campos, Christina Mörtberg. Defended: 1 September 2021. Available at http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-115654
- “iInstitute a partner in an innovative research project on cultural entrepreneurship which received SEK 25 million from The Kamprad Family Foundation https://lnu.se/en/meet-linnaeus-university/current/news/2022/innovative-research-project-on-cultural-entrepreneurship-receives-sek-25-million-from-the-kamprad-family-foundation/
- November 2021: Invitation to the fifth workshop for "Higher Education Programs in Digital Humanities: Challenges and Perspectives” to be held at DHNB conference Digital Humanities in the Nordic and Baltic Countries Conference 2022 (DHNB) in Uppsala, 15-18 March 2022.
- Since 2021, iInstitute is affiliated with the Digital Transformation Knowledge Environment at Linnaeus University.
- Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet) accepted the HUMINFRA proposal to establish Swedish national infrastructure for humanities. Read news at Lund University leading the infrastructure.
- iInstitute received Xu Tan from iSchool of Wuhan University as a guest PhD student from April 2021 to April 2022.
- June 2021: the iSchools Organization's Committee on Digital Humanities authored a JASIST paper titled "Digital humanities in the iSchool", with the head of the iInstiute, Koraljka Golub, as a co-author. Available here
- From June 2021, Linnaeus University’s iInstitute joins the European iSchools’ virtual student exchange agreement. For the first three years it is the iInstitute that will also be coordinating the exchanges for European partners. A virtual exchange refers to all courses that are online. To sign up for LNU’s courses, please visit https://lnu.se/en/education/exchange-studies/; for LNU students who wish to study abroad, please visit https://lnu.se/en/student/international-possibilities/study-abroad/virtual-mobility/. For more information on the iSchools Organization virtual student exchange, see https://ischools.org/Virtual-Exchange/
- 2021: Two EU iSchools, University of Porto and Linnaeus University, are organizing a webinar series titled Knowledge Organization and Digital Humanities. More information at citcem.org
- Grant awarded for project “QUEERLIT database: Metadata Development and Searchability for LGBTQI Literary Heritage” . Led by University of Gothenburg with Linnaeus University as a key partner
2020
- Seminar by Annette Markham: Is speculative imagination a myth? A critical theory take on the power of anticipatory logics to limit thinking differently about digital tech futures. See video recording of the seminar.
- Project: Digital Methods Platform for Arts and Humanities (DiMPAH). Erasmus+ funded project 2020–2022.
- Project: Development of a new master programme in Digital Humanities at Linnaeus University. In 2020, the Swedish Knowledge Foundation granted the iInstitute at Linnaeus University 2 MSEK to collaborate with industry and other public sectors over a period of two years in implementing the Digital Humanities, Master Programme.
- In 2020, iInstitute became an affiliated node of the Linnaeus Knowledge Environment Digital Transformations.
- Second BALADRIA Summer School in Digital Humanities, organized by iInstitute and University of Zadar, 15–19 June, 2020, in Zadar, Croatia.
- Call for Contributions to a Special Issue on Open Government Data (OGD) for Data Analytics and Knowledge Discovery of Journal of Data and Information Science.
2019
- October 2019: Invitation to The fourth workshop for "Higher Education Programs in Digital Humanities: Challenges and Perspectives” at the 4th DHN conference, Riga, Latvia, 17-20 March 2020
- September 2019: iInstitute becomes a member of European iSchools mobility scheme.
- September 2019: Digital Humanities becomes a new subject of study at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Linnaeus University.
- July 2019: An article on BAL-ADRIA Summer School in media (in Croatian)
- May 2019: A blog post on Fredrik Hanell’s research “The digital daily lives of pre-school student teachers” has been published on the iSchools website.
- January 2019: Call for proposals: A special issue of Education for Information on Emerging interdisciplinary curricula in the information sciences
2018
- December 2018: Call for proposals: Information Organization in Digital Humanities: Global Perspectives
- Digital Humanities Day with Frank Fischer, co-director of DARIAH-EU and Associate Professor for Digital Humanities at the Higher School of Economics, Moscow. October 2018. See a five-minute interview with Frank Fischer on "Why DARIAH?" https://vimeo.com/305977797
- BAL-ADRIA Summer School on Digital Humanities, Zadar, Croatia, June 2019 (keynote: Geoffrey C. Bowker, University of California.
- The Making of an iInstitute (top story at Information Today, May 2018)
- Inauguration lecture of the iInstitute: Christine Borgman, University of California, Los Angeles, May 2018. Abstract.
- Linnaeus University accepted as member of prestigious iSchools organisation April 2018 (news item in Swedish).
- Digital Humanities Initiative
- Call for Contributions to a Special Issue on Open Government Data (OGD) for Da
Education
Within the iInstitute, Linnaeus University offers the following:
Programmes at Bachelor's level (in Swedish)
- Library and Information Science
In Swedish, Campus, full time + distance learning, part time - Interactive Media and Web Technologies
In Swedish, Campus, full time
Programmes at Master's level
- Digital Humanities
Distance learning, full time - Social Media and Web Technologies
Campus, full time + Distance learning, full time - e-Health
- Information systems
Campus, full time + Distance learning, full time
PhD Programmes:
- Computor and Information Science
- Graduate School in Contract Archaeology (GRASCA)
- Biomedical Science
- Library and Information studies (in creation)
Course list for Master's programmes
Digital Humanities, Master Programme:
Introduction to Digital Humanities 7.5 hp 4DH400
Digital Humanities Research Methods 7.5 hp 4DH410
Critical Theory and Digital Transformation 7.5 hp 4DH405
Programming for Digital Humanities 7.5 hp 4ME502
Interactive Technologies for Digital Humanities 7.5 hp 4ME503
Digitisation of Cultural Heritage 7.5 hp 4DH420
Linked Data for Cultural Heritage and the Humanities 7.5 hp 4DH426
Ethics, Politics and Policies in the Digital Humanities 7.5 hp 4DH431
Master thesis in Digital Humanities – first year master level 15.0 hp 4DH41E
Digital Humanities, Master Thesis - two year master level 30.0 hp 5DH10E
+ Electives
Health Science, Master Programme:
Multidisciplinary perspectives on human health 7.5 hp 4HÄ021
Research methods in Health Science 7.5 hp 4HÄ022
Health, Human Rights and Global Justice 15.0 hp 4HÄ023
Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Human Health 7.5 hp 4HÄ024
Health Science Research Methods - Advanced Quantitative Methods 7.5 hp 4HÄ026
Health psychology 7.5 hp 4PS300
Planetary Health Geography 7.5 hp 4KG420
Health Science Research Methods - Advanced Qualitative Methods 7.5 hp 4HÄ027
Introduction to health informatics 7.5 hp 4XN017
Human movements in a health and sustainability perspective 7.5 hp 4HÄ038
Global Health from an Intercultural Perspective 7.5 hp 1VÅ212
Entrepreneurial and collaborative processes from a health science perspective - Part 1 7.5 hp 4HÄ036
Individual Project in Health Science 7.5 hp 4HÄ039
Entrepreneurship and social change 7.5 hp 4FE150
Health Science, Degree Project 30.0 hp 5HÄ01E
Information Systems, Master Programme:
Contemporary issues in IS research and development 7.5 hp 5IK502
Information Systems Methodology 7.5 hp 4IK524
Fundamentals of Information Systems 15.0 hp 4IK510
Big Data in Organizations, Business, and Society 15.0 hp 4IK504
Digital Environments: Information Society and Internet of Things 15.0 hp 4IK506
Systemic Perspectives on Digital Transformation 7.5 hp 5IK505
Digital Capability for organizational agility 7.5 hp 5IK506
Theories of Information Systems 7.5 hp 5IK510
Knowledge based strategies for business development 7.5 hp 4IK530
Ethics and Profession in Information Technology 7.5 hp 4IK507
Degree Project in Informatics at Master level 30.0 hp 5IK50E
Courses possible to take outside of a programme
- Programming for Digital Humanities
Distance learning + half time - Programming for Digital Humanities
Distance learning + half time - Summer School in Digital Humanities
Distance learning + full time - Interactive Technologies for Digital Humanities
Distance learning + half time - Introduction to Health Informatics
Campus, full time - Tangible User Interfaces
Campus + half time - Social Media Ecosystems
Campus + half time - Digital Environments: Information Society and Internet of Things
Campus or distance learning + half time - Strategic Information Security Management
Campus or distance learning + half time - Digital Capability for organizational agility
Campus or distance learning + half time - Ethics and Profession in Information Technology
Campus or distance learning + half time - Knowledge based strategies for business development
Campus + one-quarter-time - Systemic Perspectives on Digital Transformation
Campus or distance learning + half time - Theories of Information Systems
Campus or distance learning + half time
Workshop Series "Higher Education Programs in Digital Humanities"
These workshops are part of the annual conference "Digital Humanities in the Nordic and Baltic Countries Conference (DHNB)".
Seminars and talks
- For seminars and talks since 2021, please see the Calendar section above
- Video recordings of seminars by lecturers who gave permission are now available via LnuPlay.
- On December 9, 2020, Zoi Tsiviltidou held a seminar titled ‘Digital storytelling in the museum for self-directed learning and mobile-supported interaction'. Watch the seminar: https://play.lnu.se/media/t/0_2hcil2mv
- December 2019: On December 2, Ying-Hsang Liu from Australian National University gave a seminar titled ‘Human-Centred Computational Thinking for Digital Humanities’: Watch the seminar: https://play.lnu.se/media/t/0_srja3iok
- October 2019: Lecture arranged by Gunilla Bradley Centre for Digital Business (GBC) about The development and implementation of a PhD Program in ICT for the Kosovo Education System
- May 2019: Christian Wartena, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hanover, held a lecture named Analysis of Image Captions in Scientific Publications. Video. Slides.
- Seminar by Jean-Francois Blanchette, University of California, Los Angeles, May 18, 2018. Abstract.
- Seminar "Emerging Information Field, iSchools Organisation, and Potential for Linnaeus University". Michael Seadle, Executive Director of iSchools; Dean of Faculty of Arts, Humboldt University and Sam Oh, iCaucus Chair-elect; Head of School, Library & Information Science and Data Science Department, Sungkyunkwan University, featured. The recorded video of the seminar is available at: https://connect.sunet.se/p92gwguambp/. Presentations by Sam Oh & Michael Seadle. November 3, 2017.
Our vision
Our long-term vision is to create a leading education, development and research regional centre in the iField, that combines in novel ways already existing expertise from different Linnaeus University departments and faculties working in close collaboration and co-creation with relevant stakeholders from the surrounding society. Addressing future societal challenges would be possible by highly skilled professionals whose education has been markedly enhanced by practice-informed education and joint, cross-sector innovation.
Strategic values to be developed during these efforts refer to uniting and consolidating the expertise we already have to create new constellations for collaboration leading to new knowledge and products (expertise, education, research, public and commercial services relevant for the region, such as a cultural tourism industry perspective), resulting in a return on investment.
Plans for the first period (24–36 months) are to focus on the development of new educational programmes and research as outlined in the figures below.
Vision and strategy for 2019–2023
Watch our presentations
External supporters
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
iInstitute in the words of our supporters
"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 Michael Seadle and Sam 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