2025
Here you will find content related to digital transformation: new publications and projects, vacancies, grant and funding announcements and much more.
News list
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DSI Newsletter – #6 2025
In the last DSI News of the year, we look back on an exciting 2025 – and at the same time venture a look ahead to a very special 2026: the DSI celebrates its birthday.
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Research Assistant (30–40 %) for Project «ZuReach»
The Digital Society Initiative at the University of Zurich is seeking a Research Assistant starting in March 2026 for the participatory research project «ZuReach: Zurich Urban Reachability & Accessibility Enhancement through Digital Technology».
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DSI 2025: Growth, innovation, and interdisciplinary impetus
2025 was a year full of progress and developments for the Digital Society Initiative (DSI): New projects, professors, and postdocs enriched the DSI, communities developed, and the number of network members continued to grow. Education, research, and outreach initiatives achieved visible results. With the upcoming 10th anniversary in mind, it is clear once again that the DSI is actively shaping the digital transformation.
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ERC Consolidator Grants for two DSI members
DSI Professor Luis Aguiar and DSI member Debjani Bhattacharyya have been awarded Consolidator Grants by the European Research Council (ERC). The DSI warmly congratulates both of them.
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3 Questions about ELIAS – project in the «DSI Infrastructures & Labs» series
DSI Infrastructures & Labs are shareable infrastructures or structural vessels for creating collaborative research environments related to digital transformation. Prof. Dr. Tobias Kowatsch briefly introduces ELIAS, one of the projects in this series.
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Participants Wanted: Study on AI-Generated Academic Websites
DSI Postdoc Oriane Pierrès invites researchers with a personal academic website to participate in a study testing an AI-based website generation tool. The required effort is low, participation is flexible, and a small token of appreciation is provided.
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DSI Insights: AI innovation begins with disadvantaged groups
In the latest column in the «DSI Insights» series, DSI Postdoc Oriane Pierrès argues that AI innovation should not be geared toward the majority of users, but should instead start with disadvantaged user groups.
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DSI Media Workshop on cybersecurity
In the sixth edition of the DSI Media Workshop, media professionals were able to learn about the technical and social aspects of cybersecurity. The event also provided an opportunity for journalists to share their perspectives on what is important to them in science journalism and communication.
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Help wanted: Research Assistant «The Impact of Interdisciplinary Research»
The Digital Society Initiative (DSI) at the University of Zurich is seeking a Research Assistant (30 - 40 %) to work on the sixth DSI Strategy Lab on the topic of «The Impact of Interdisciplinary Research.»
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SNSF Starting Grants for three DSI members
In this year's call for proposals by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), ten researchers from UZH received a coveted Starting Grant – including three members of the DSI. We congratulate them on this success.
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DSI Spotlights kicks off its second season – new insights into the digital society
The DSI Spotlights video series is entering its second round: Six new short videos show how digital technologies are changing our society – from artificial intelligence in writing to quantum computers and digital learning aids.
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New module «AI and Disinformation in the Digital Age» launched
A team of PhD students from the DSI Excellence Program has created a chapter of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) exploring how AI shapes and spreads disinformation in the digital world.
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AI Widening Digital Divide between Generations
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly taking root in everyday life. Most people in Switzerland are worried about AI and the next generation of digital technology, but those who regularly use AI are more sanguine about it. While the youngest spend more time online than they would like to, older people and those with little digital literacy are falling behind, according to the latest data from a representative long-term study being conducted by the University of Zurich.
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General Meeting: The DSI has now over 1400 members
On October 22, 2025, the DSI met for its general meeting at UZH. Highlights included the presentation of the UZH.ai project and the election of new DSI members: the network now has over 1400 members. The meeting concluded with a reception, which segued directly into the event «Data Technologies for the Humanities and Social Sciences».
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Top 100+ Women in AI+Data: Congratulations, Giorgia!
DSI Professor Giorgia Ramponi is featured in the report «Top 100+ Women in AI+Data in Switzerland» and is thus, according to the publishers, one of the 100 most influential women in the field of artificial intelligence and data in Switzerland. Congratulations.
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DSI Newsletter – #5 2025
The fifth issue of DSI News in 2025 is now available. This time, topics include the role of artificial intelligence in psychotherapy and legal issues associated with digitalization in the workplace.
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DSI Podcast «Genial digital?» – Episode 4
The DSI podcast «Genial digital?» provides answers on topics related to digital transformation. In the first episodes, which were created in collaboration with the DSI Community Work, the podcast focuses on the future of work. The fourth episode deals with the impact of digital transformation on the workplace and related legal issues.
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DSI Insights: AI in psychotherapy
In the latest column in the «DSI Insights» series, philosopher and ethicist Jana Sedlakova asks what role conversational artificial intelligence (AI) should play in mental health care – and makes a recommendation.
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Contributions welcome: Scale-IT-up Workshop on Advancing Digital Women’s Health
The Centre for Digital Health Interventions, with the support of DSI Community Health members, is organizing the 7th Scale-IT-up Workshop in Marbella, Spain, on March 02.–03., 2026. The organizers invite contributions until November 20, 2025.
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Top 100+ Women in AI+Data: Congratulations, Ning!
Dr. Ning Wang, a researcher at the DSI, is featured in the report «Top 100+ Women in AI+Data in Switzerland» and is thus, according to the publishers, one of the 100 most influential women in the field of artificial intelligence and data in Switzerland. Congratulations.
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Welcome to the DSI, Martina.
We are pleased to welcome Prof. Dr. Martina Pons as DSI Professor. Martina is Assistant Professor in Econometrics in the Digital Age at the Department of Economics of the University of Zurich.
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Closing of the Parldigi MasterClass at the Federal Parliament
After almost exactly one year and five events, the Parldigi MasterClass for members of the National Council and Council of States has come to an end.
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«FIDO Clinical Trial»: Help wanted
The Digital Society Initiative (DSI) at the University of Zurich is looking for a Student Assistant for the FIDO study.
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Welcome, Anastasiia
We are pleased to welcome Prof. Dr. Anastasiia Koloskova as DSI Professor. Anastasiia Koloskova is a tenure-track assistant professor of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Optimization.
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Warmest congratulations
We are delighted to congratulate three valued members of the DSI on their promotions. We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Aniko Hannak, Titus Neupert, and Markus Christen. We wish them continued success.
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New paper published in «International Journal of Technoethics»
DSI researcher Dr. Ning Wang published a new paper on a study that analyzed experts’ perspectives regarding public acceptance of urban drones in the Swiss context.
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DSI Newsletter – #4 2025
No sooner have you taken your last vacation photos than it's time to head back to university for the new semester. In the fourth edition of DSI News for 2025, we've packed a suitcase full of news and information for you.
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Apply now: 3rd Structure Call
The 3rd Structure Call of the Digitalization Initiative of the Zurich Higher Education Institutions (DIZH) supports cross-university innovation structures with funding of up to CHF 1,2 million.
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DSI Insights: Are we ready for quantum computing?
The fourth edition of DSI Insights is dedicated to our position paper «Recommendations for a Future with Quantum Technology.». This paper was developed during our fifth DSI Strategy Lab and offers exciting insights and perspectives for the coming years.
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Quantum technology: position paper, videos, and events
In its fifth Strategy Lab, the Digital Society Initiative (DSI) examined the future of quantum technology. The results and recommendations have now been published in a position paper. Two «DSI Spotlights» on the topic have also been produced. And the Physics Institute is organizing several events on quantum technology.
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Four new projects for the DSI Infrastructures & Labs series
Four project proposals were approved in this year's DSI Infrastructure & Lab Call. DAVALab, ELIAS, OpenOSR, and Urban Data Hub are new additions to the program. We congratulate the project teams and wish them every success.
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Paper by DSI members published in Nature Portfolio
The paper «A consensus statement on the use of digital twins in medicine» by several DSI members has been published in Nature Portfolio. The paper is a product of the second DSI Strategy Lab on the topic of «Artificial Intelligence in medicine».
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Digital Innovation Hub seeks researchers with projects on AI agents
The Digital Innovation Hub of the Canton of Zurich is looking for researchers who are interested in Agentic AI in the context of public administration. The call is aimed particularly at researchers with ongoing projects in this area or who are interested in corresponding new research questions.
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Apéro Digital: two new infographic artifacts published
Apéro Digital is a series of events that aims to build bridges between different sectors in order to drive impactful change. The key outcomes of the discussions are presented in infographic artifacts. The infographics of the third and fourth events in the series are now available.
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The DSI Managing Office takes a break
The DSI office at Rämistrasse 69 in Zurich will be closed from July 21 to August 4, 2025. We wish you a sunny and relaxing summer.
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New PhD Position: Empowering AI to Explore the Space of Reasons (80%)
The Digital Society Initiative (DSI) at the University of Zurich is offering a PhD position in natural language processing with a highly innovative philosophical grounding. Applications can be subitted until August 10, 2025.
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Apply now: DIZH Outreach Call
The second Outreach Call of the Digitalization Initiative of the Zurich Higher Education Institutions (DIZH) is now open.
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Workshop on the Innovation Credit of the City of Zurich
Pitch your project at the DSI workshop on August 27 and secure support through Zurich’s Innovation Credit.
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Graduates of the DSI Excellence Program are celebrated
The members of the 2023-2025 cohort of the Digital Society Initiative's Excellence Program received their graduation certificates at the DSI Summer Party.
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New podcast by DSI Professor Nadine Zurkinden
DSI Professor Nadine Zurkinden has published the first episode of her new podcast «Fokus: Strafrecht». With her colleague Dr. Claude Eric Bertschinger, lecturer at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), she hosts the new audio production. The first season focuses on digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI).
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Position paper with recommendations on quantum technology published
The fifth DSI Strategy Lab focuses on quantum technology. It evaluates the state of quantum technologies and possible future scenarios and formulates recommendations. The results of the Strategy Lab are now available in the newly published position paper.
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Karin Schwiter awarded ERC Advanced Grant
DSI Professorin Karin Schwiter has been awarded one of the coveted ERC Advanced Grants from the European Research Council. Over the next five years, she plans to study the problem of underemployment in Switzerland, the UK and the Netherlands.
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DSI Newsletter – #3 2025
The third issue of DSI News in 2025 is here. This time, we look at writing with artificial intelligence, increasing productivity with digital devices, and welcome a new face to the DSI Board of Directors and among the DSI professors.
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DSI Podcast «Genial digital?» – Episode 3
The DSI podcast «Genial digital?» provides answers on topics related to digital transformation. In the first episodes, which were created in collaboration with the DSI Community Work, the podcast focuses on the future of work. The third episode deals with the use of digital devices and their impact on our productivity.
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DIZH Project Call
The Zurich Universities Digitalization Initiative (DIZH) is inviting project proposals for the fifth time. Projects can be submitted until October 1, 2025, at 12:00.
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Welcome, Przemyslaw
Dr. Przemyslaw Roguski, Assistant Professor at the Jagiellonian University, will work with the DSI Community Cybersecurity as a DSI Fellow from June 16 to 20, 2025, during which time he will hold two events.
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DSI Insights: Writing is thinking – even with AI?
In the third DSI Insights of the year, Noah Bubenhofer, Co-Director of the Digital Society Initiative (DSI), explains how artificial intelligence (AI) can help with writing texts and why it does not always make sense to leave the writing of a text entirely to AI.
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DSI Community Digital Humanities: new website
The DSI Community Digital Humanities aims to establish a dynamic hub for research and teaching in the rapidly evolving field of digital humanities. The community launched its own website at the end of May.
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ZuReach project: Participants wanted
Do you use a wheelchair, walker, stroller, or sometimes navigate in the city with mobility challenges? Then, your experience matters. Take part in the ZuReach project and help shape Zurich as an accessible city for all.
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Hands-on 3 ECTS Innovathon course in Fall 2025
The open innovation format «UZH Innovathon: The Digitalization of Mobility» between September 11 and October 3, 2025 offers students the possibility to work on real-world problems that are posed by practice partners. Challenges revolve around the topic «digitalization of mobility».
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Quantum Computing Summer School: register now
The Digital Society Initiative and the Institute of Physics of the University of Zurich organize summer school on quantum computing from July 21 to 25, 2025. Registration is now open until June 30, 2025.
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«M-Rational»: Help wanted
The Digital Society Initiative (DSI) at the University of Zurich is looking for a PhD Student in Philosophy for the SNSF-Project M-Rational. The application window closes on July 1, 2025.
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3 Questions about D2USP – project in the «DSI Infrastructures & Labs» series
DSI Infrastructures & Labs are shareable infrastructures or structural vessels for creating collaborative research environments related to digital transformation. Dr. André Meyer and Dr. Malte Doehne briefly introduce D2USP, one of the projects in this series.
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Fourth DIZH Project Call: All 16 projects with UZH participation
In the 4th project call, the DIZH is funding 16 projects that are characterised by their innovative strength, social relevance and strong practical relevance. Members of the University of Zurich (UZH) are involved in all funded projects.
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Call for Papers: 6th Annual Digital Democracy Workshop
The DSI Community Democracy is inviting paper submissions on the relationship between digital technology and democracy in the broadest sense for its 6th Annual Digital Democracy Workshop to be held in Zurich on November 13 - 14, 2025.
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DSI postdoc Reto Gubelmann receives SNSF project funding
The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) has approved an interdisciplinary project proposal by DSI postdoc Dr. Reto Gubelmann. The project «Reconceiving and Improving Multi-Perspectivity and Rationality in Argumentative AI (M-Rational)» will start in fall 2025.
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Job offer at the GIVA Group
The GIVA Group of the Department of Geography at the University of Zurich invites applications for a «PhD position Geographic Information Visualization and Analysis (GIVA) - GeoNavLearn» with a workload of 80 %.
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Welcome, Esra
We are pleased to welcome Prof. Dr. Esra Suel as DSI Professor. Esra is Professor of Urban Analytics at the Department of Geography at the University of Zurich, where she is establishing a new research group within the GIScience Center.
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Job offers at the Dynamic and Distributed Information Systems Group
The Dynamic and Distributed Information Systems Group at the Department of Informatics at the University of Zurich (UZH) is looking for doctoral students for two AI projects.
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DSI Newsletter – #2 2025
Artificial intelligence (AI) is also central to the second DSI News of the year. For example, with our column on predictive policing and AI, with research on sustainability discourses around AI, with our media workshop on AI in healthcare, or with various events on the topic.
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DSI Insights: Policing with AI – a challenge for the justice system
In the second DSI Insights of the year, Sarah Summers, director of the Digital Society Initiative (DSI), explains why predictive policing using artificial intelligence (AI) poses a challenge for the justice system.
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Participants wanted for FIDO study
The University of Zurich is looking for healthy participants for a study exploring how smartphones and wearables can be used to measure fatigue and monitor health status.
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DSI Infrastructures & Labs: Completed projects
DSI Infrastructures & Labs are collaborative infrastructures or structural vessels for the creation of collaborative research environments related to the digital transformation. The first projects in the series were completed in the past few weeks and months.
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Call for Abstracts for two events
The organizers of two DSI events are calling for abstracts: for a PhD Summer School on the topic «Legal, Ethical and Implementation Challenges of AI in Healthcare» and for the «International Conference on Inferentialism».
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DIZH call for proposals: Founder Call
In the second Founder Call, the Digitalization Initiative of the Zurich Higher Education Institutions (DIZH) is seeking proof-of-concept projects by students and employees of DIZH universities. The submission deadline is August 21, 2025.
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Media workshop on AI in healthcare
The fifth edition of the DSI media workshop offered media professionals the opportunity to learn about current developments in the field of healthcare and artificial intelligence (AI).
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3 Questions about STAG – project in the «DSI Infrastructures & Labs» series
DSI Infrastructures & Labs are shareable infrastructures or structural vessels for creating collaborative research environments related to digital transformation. Prof. Dr. Jürgen Bernard briefly introduces STAG, one of the projects in this series.
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Digital MasterClass Geneva - A successful conclusion of crossing the Röstigraben
The Geneva Digital MasterClass came to a close with two events at the end of March 2025 in Geneva and Zurich. It was planned and held jointly with the University of Geneva, a strategic partner of the University of Zurich.
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«AI Buddy»: Help wanted
The Digital Society Initiative (DSI) at the University of Zurich is looking for two interns to work as an «LLM Multi-Agent System Developer 40–80 %» on the «AI Buddy» project, which aims to create an AI system that accompanies UZH students throughout their studies.
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Megan Rollerson joins the DSI Community Sustainability as DSI Fellow
Megan Rollerson, an outstanding graduate from Lund University with a Master’s degree in Strategic Communication, will join the DSI Community Sustainability as DSI Fellow from April 2 to June 30, 2025. During her fellowship, Megan, in collaboration with Prof. Nadine Strauß, will focus on developing her research on the sustainability discourses surrounding AI.
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CYREN ZH Summer School 2025
CYREN ZH, a project of the DSI Community Cybersecurity, is organizing a summer school on «Human Factors in Cybersecurity and Privacy: Interdisciplinary Research Methods» in July 2025. Registrations are possible until 30.04.2025.
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Call for poster presentations: DSI Community Education Conference
Under the title «Smart Education: Effective Learning and Instruction with Digital Technologies», the DSI Community Education is holding its first conference. Master’s and PhD students are invited to present their research on digital education through a competitive poster session.
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Completion of the Digital MasterClass for the Zurich Cantonal Council
The Digital MasterClass 2024/25 for the Zurich Cantonal Council ended on March 10 with an event entitled «Digital Healthcare? Current Insights». The participants expressed an interest in further educational events on digital topics.
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Call for Chapter Abstracts – A Global Perspective on Trust in Health Systems
Two DSI members issue a call for chapter abstracts for a planned edited volume entitled «A Global Perspective on Trust in Health Systems». The submission deadline is April 7, 2025.
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Job offers at the IVDA Group
The Interactive Visual Data Analysis (IVDA) Group at the University of Zurich (UZH) is seeking a Ph.D. and a Post-Doc (m/f/d) at the intersection of visual analytics, interactive ML, and human-centered AI.
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Welcome, Ivan.
We are delighted to welcome Prof. Dr. Ivan De Oliveira Nunes as DSI Professor. Ivan is Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity at the Institute of Computer Science (IfI) at the University of Zurich (UZH).
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DSI Newsletter – #1 2025
In our first DSI News of the year, we focus on artificial intelligence (AI). Our newest DSI Community carries AI in its name and is researching the impact of AI on life as a citizen in the 21st century. We show how AI can be of help in crisis situations and present a DSI project that aims to make AI more reliable.
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3 Questions about RAI – project in the «DSI Infrastructures & Labs» series
DSI Infrastructures & Labs are shareable infrastructures or structural vessels for creating collaborative research environments related to digital transformation. Prof. Dr. Christof Seiler briefly introduces RAI, one of the projects in this series.
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DSI Podcast «Genial digital?» – Episode 2
The DSI podcast «Genial digital?» provides answers on topics related to digital transformation. In the first episodes, which were created in collaboration with the DSI Community Work, the podcast focuses on the future of work. The second episode deals with the effects of digitalization on managers.
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DSI Community Health is looking for participants in SOLIDERA workshop
The DSI Community Health is conducting a SOLIDERA workshop from April 16 to 17 and is looking for PhD students or early postdocs to participate.
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DSI Insights: How AI technology is helping refugees and recognizing propaganda
In our first DSI Insights 2025, Kilian Sprenkamp, PhD student at the Digital Society Initiative (DSI), uses concrete examples to show how Large Language Models (LLMs) can help with rapid information processing and effective communication in crisis situations.
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DIZH call for proposals: Rapid Action Call Smart Spaces
In the fourth Rapid Action Call, the Digitalization Initiative of the Zurich Higher Education Institutions (DIZH) is seeking digitally-based solutions for residential, cultural, working and educational spaces. The submission deadline is April 7, 2025.
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New Paper by the DSI Community Health published
The DSI Community Health published a new paper with a set of tools and recommendations to facilitate interdisciplinary education and collaboration.
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Paper by DSI members on societal acceptance of urban drones published in «Science and Public Policy»
The paper «‘We Need Time...’: An Expert Survey on Societal Acceptance of Urban Drones» by Dr. Ning Wang, Dr. Nico Mutzner, and Prof. Dr. Karl Blanchet was published in the current issue of the journal «Science and Public Policy».
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New course: Storytelling for Digital Transformation
In the new course «Storytelling for Digital Transformation», students learn how to communicate complex digital topics to different target groups in an effective and engaging way. The course is designed and implemented by CYREN ZH, a project of the DSI Community Cybersecurity.
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DSI Minor Digital Skills – application window now open
From now until 25 May 2025, interested students at UZH can apply for the Master's Minor program DSI Minor Digital Skills starting in the Fall Semester 2025 (HS 25). A Liberal Arts Option (LAO) is now also offered to students at the Faculty of Law (RWF).
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DSI Community AI, Culture & Society: a warm welcome
We are pleased to welcome the fourteenth DSI Community to our ranks. The members of the DSI Community AI (Artificial Intelligence), Culture & Society explore the implications of living as a citizen in the 21st century.
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Paper by DSI member published in «Journal of Medical Internet Research»
The paper «From Theory to Practice: Viewpoint on Economic Indicators for Trust in Digital Health» by DSI member Felix Gille was published in the current issue of the «Journal of Medical Internet Research».
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DSI Excellence Program for PhD students: Apply now
Those interested can still apply to join the DSI Excellence Program, which starts in September 2025.