Conference Report 17th International Symposium on Information Science

The 17th International Symposium on Information Science (ISI 2023) took place from the 7^th – 9^th of November 2023 in Chur, Switzerland, under the title "Sustainable Information - Information for Sustainability" – aligned with the UN Agenda 2023 for Sustainable Development. The ISI was organised by the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden (FHGR), Swiss Institute for Information Sciences. The keynote speeches were held by Prof. em. Dr. Andreas Fischlin and Prof. em. Dr. Rainer Kuhlen.

The FH Potsdam was represented in particular by Prof. Dr. Julia Struß, who moderated the presentation of the Gerhard Lustig Prize, as well as Prof. Dr. Heike Neuroth, Prof. Dr. Antje Michel and Prof. Dr. Ulrike Wuttke. In addition, a total of 13 students from the various Bachelor's degree programmes (Archives, Library Science, Information and Data Management) of the Department of Information Science at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam took part in the symposium as listeners, moderators (Jasper Bothe) and speakers (Jonas Tietz).

The students were accommodated in the Hostel Bogentrakt, a former prison.

Programme

ISI2023 started on the 7^th of November 2023 with a welcome address by Prof. Jürg Kessler, Rector of the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden. The Department of Information Science at the FH Grisons also celebrated its 25th anniversary. ISI2023 provided a multifaceted platform for discussions on current topics and challenges in the field of information science. The handling of research data was discussed, initial results from studies were presented, the opportunities and challenges of AI applications in a scientific context were considered, and the challenges of the information society were also addressed.

The first keynote speech on "Sustainability and sustainable development in and beyond information science" was given by Prof. em. Dr. Andreas Fischlin. The lecture deepened the understanding of sustainability and the real implementation of sustainability.

A particularly thought-provoking presentation highlighted the relationship between the publication of open research data in low and lower-middle income countries (LLMIC) and the challenges arising from the tension between LLMIC and highly developed countries (HIC). Concerns about potential exploitation by HICs were highlighted, while at the same time open science was seen as an opportunity to promote fairness and equality in research.

A panel on ChatGPT and other AI applications, which included Prof. Dr. Wuttke and Prof. Dr. Michel from the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, drew attention to the rapid development and diverse applications of AI-based tools. In particular, text-generating AIs were discussed in the context of scientific work, but also in the field of education. There were also special sessions by students and nominees for the Gerhard Lustig Prize.

ISI2023 provided a stimulating platform for exchanging views on current developments and challenges in the information sciences. The discussions and presentations reflected the broad spectrum of topics and the need for a comprehensive examination of these issues for the further development of the discipline.

In addition to the conference, there was a city tour, a great social event with an awards ceremony (dinner and improv theatre) and a tour of the institute. The very well-equipped digitisation workshop of the Department of Information Science was impressive.

All in all, a successful excursion!

Author: Daniela Rother (Bachelor of Library Science, 7th semester)