iSchools supports universities around the world
Edinburgh Napier University’s School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment (SCEBE) has been accepted into a prestigious organisation which aims to support information research and teaching.
SCEBE has become the 125th member of iSchools, a network of schools and departments that perform informatics or information science research in universities around the world.
It means ENU is home to the only iSchool in Edinburgh, and joins other member institutions such as University of Oxford and University College London in the UK, as well as the likes of Cornell University, University of Amsterdam and University of Melbourne overseas.
Professor Diane Rasmussen Pennington, the lead for the Social Informatics Research Group, has been involved with the iSchools since 2008 through her previous universities. Since 2021, she has been a Co-Chair of the iSchools Women’s Coalition, which seeks to mentor and develop leadership skills for women in information science careers.
She said: “I’m thrilled that Edinburgh Napier is now an iSchool. Applied Informatics staff and doctoral students have done brilliant and impactful research in past years, as evidenced in REF 2021 results, and received funding from many sources, which was clearly recognised by the iSchools Board of Directors when assessing our application.
“I would especially like to thank Emeritus Professor Hazel Hall, my predecessor, in leading the group to reach this stage, and I am excited about what we can do going forward.”
Dr Debbie Meharg, Head of Applied Informatics said this was an incredible achievement and recognition of the hard work of colleagues over many years.
iSchools holds several online webinars and training opportunities throughout the year, including its flagship event, the yearly iConference. At the March 2023 iConference in Barcelona, Professor Rasmussen will be co-presenting with her previous doctoral student Gbenga Ademodi and former iSchools Chair Professor Gobinda Chowdhury about Gbenga’s work comparing Nigerian and British library services during Covid-19.
Additionally, Centre for Social Informatics doctoral student Marina Milosheva will be presenting at this year’s iConference European Doctoral Colloquium.
Professor Peter Andras, Dean of School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment, said: “I am impressed with the iSchools organisation and its effort to support doctoral students and early career researchers, as well as to facilitate international cooperation.
“This is an area in which we thrive.”