Network of Institutes for Digitalisation Research (NIfD)
The digital transformation of society is one of the greatest challenges of our time. There is a particularly high demand for independent and interdisciplinary research with a long-term orientation in order to fundamentally scientifically analyze and help shape the diverse conditions, forms and consequences of the digital transformation. Several interdisciplinary research institutions in Germany have been working closely together since 2021 and have founded the Network of Institutes for Digitalization Research (NIfD).
Participating institutions in the network:
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Alexander von Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft (HIIG)
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Bayerisches Forschungsinstitut für Digitale Transformation (bidt)
Each institution in the network has its own profile and special research focus. This institutional and thematic diversity promotes competition and opportunities for cooperation and thus contributes to quality and innovation in digitization research. Through a compatibility mechanism within the network, there is an exchange at management level on research priorities in order to harness synergies.
Networking meetings are held annually on a rotating basis at the locations of the partner institutions, at which the heads of the institutions and those responsible for various sub-areas (e.g. communication, transfer, research infrastructure) exchange information.
Aims of the network
The network serves to promote cooperation between the partners. This can be both cross-network cooperation and cooperation between individual partners.
This includes:
- Exchange of experience on interdisciplinary digitization research
- Joint representation of the interests of digitization research
- Exploring and initiating collaborations in research projects
- Cooperation in the areas of transfer, dialog and science communication
- Supporting interdisciplinary careers through joint events (Digisem, Digimeet), a qualification program and an exchange program for doctoral candidates and postdocs
Further goals of the network are:
- Joint application for third-party funded projects
- Joint digital and science policy statements
- Consideration of the perspective of the partner institutions in political committees
- Improving the national and international visibility of the institutions and their research results
- Joint initiatives to improve the availability of data
