Caroline Pauwels, Paolo Aversano, Dorien Baelden, Pieter Ballon, Joke Bauwens, Jana Bens, Joke Beyl, Lizzy Bleumers, Valerie-Anne Bleyen, Olivier Braet, Fabienne Brison, Uschi Buchinger, Daniele Canedo, Laurence Claeys, Tanguy Coenen, Paulien Coppens, Annet Daems, Hans De Canck, Jonas De Meulenaere, Sophie De Vinck, Ralf De Wolf, Jasmien Decancq, Simon Delaere, Alexander Deweppe, Karen Donders, Pieter Duysburgh, Shirley Elprama, Katleen Gabriëls, Vânia Gonçalves, Sanne Hermans, Rob Heyman, Katharina Hölck, Doruntina Islamaj, An Jacobs, Iris Jennes, Katriina Kilpi, Bram Lievens, Sven Lindmark, Jan Loisen, Ilse Mariën, Birgitte Martens, Davor Meersman, Trisha Meyer, An Moons, Luciano Morganti, Lien Mostmans, Ike Picone, Jo Pierson, Julia Pohle, Tim Raats, Anand Raju, Heritiana Ranaivoson, Camille Reynders, Olivier Rits, Sarie Robijt, Evelien Rooms, Kassandra Rothenstadt, Dana Schurmans, Sander Spek, Sarah Talboom, Pieter Jan Valgaeren, Leo Van Audenhove, Wouter Van den Bosch, Wendy Van den Broeck, Yoni Van Den Eede, Shenja van der Graaf, Olga Van Oost, Eva Van Passel, Ben Van Rompuy, An Vanbellingen, Mieke Vandevyvere, Wim Vanobberghen, Carina Veeckman, Mark Verheyden, Nils Walravens, Koen Willaert, Karen Willems,
About Digital Society
The Digital Society research department builds on the research expertise of 2 iMinds research groups, MICT (research group Media & ICT, Universiteit Gent) and SMIT (Studies on Media, Information & Telecommunications, Vrije Universiteit Brussel). The research department has a multi disciplinary team at its disposal, counting more than 85 researchers, amongst whom are sociologists, communication experts, economists and psychologists.
The Digital Society Department aims to become an international reference for research on the impact of the ICT innovation on social, economical and policy related themes. In this way, it wants to contribute to a climate for open innovation in digital Flanders.
While focusing on three main application domains, Future Internet, Future Media and Digital Arts, the Digital Society department links up to the four technology driven research departments of iMinds. In it’s research, Digital Society is applying three interrelated research approaches:
The Digital Society research department builds on the research expertise of 2 iMinds research groups, MICT (research group Media & ICT, Universiteit Gent) and SMIT (Studies on Media, Information & Telecommunications, Vrije Universiteit Brussel). The research department has a multi disciplinary team at its disposal, counting more than 85 researchers, amongst whom are sociologists, communication experts, economists and psychologists.
The Digital Society Department aims to become an international reference for research on the impact of the ICT innovation on social, economical and policy related themes. In this way, it wants to contribute to a climate for open innovation in digital Flanders.
While focusing on three main application domains, Future Internet, Future Media and Digital Arts, the Digital Society department links up to the four technology driven research departments of iMinds. In it’s research, Digital Society is applying three interrelated research approaches:
- It studies Market Innovation and Sector Transitions (MIST): through Impact Assessment & Business Model tools, Digital Society research evaluates the impact of ICT on specific sectors or domains and support the emergence of sustainable and competitive economic growth models.
- The Digital society department also carries out User empowerment studies. Special attention is paid to core elements, such as:
- profiling
- privacy
- safety and confidence
- the digital gap
- digital scholarship
This method is different and stands out from traditional market and user investigation by the far-reaching involvement of end users. It is a guarantee for the market orientated character of the innovation process, where needs and expectations of the user are focused on. Moreover, this method allows us to better substantiate potential business models and introduction strategies.
- In order to evaluate the durability of existing and future policy measurements in the field of the new media, we perform ICT policy evaluations. The challenges are situated mainly in the field of contents, access and competition policy. We apply, amongst others, comparative analysis, expert interviews and round table conferences as research methods.
