From September 2017, the School of Humanities Subject area formerly known as HATII (Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute) will become ‘Information Studies’, writes Lorna M. Hughes, Professor of Digital Humanities, Head of Subject - Information Studies.

The new name is a better reflection of the focus of research within the subject area: the creation, management and use of knowledge in the information age, through three interconnected research clusters:

  • cultural informatics
  • digital humanities
  • information management

The new name also makes clear our subject’s emphasis on collaboration with a large number of international cultural heritage organisations: it is the only academic unit in the UK which offers Masters’ level and accredited professional qualifications in the museum, archive and library fields, and it has led the development of professional training in all three areas. At the heart of this activity lies digital methods, and Information studies has fully embraced and driven forward the sectors’ engagement with the opportunities and challenges associated with this key area.

Information Studies at the University of Glasgow draws on over thirty years of experience in developing and delivering successful digital humanities projects and teaching and is internationally recognised as a pioneer in this field. The subject’s strong emphasis on digital humanities, and digital curation and preservation has expanded in recent years to include cultures of the book, music and digital information management, video games and social media, as well as informatics and personalization of data. The subject’s Museum Studies MSc programme has expanded significantly thanks to the collaborative opportunities fostered through the Kelvin Hall partnership, while the MSc in Information management and Preservation is creating new approaches to archives and records management. As a member of the international iSchools consortium, we are well placed to address current global challenges facing information and cultural heritage studies.

International symposium

To mark the relaunch of the Information Studies subject area at the University of Glasgow, an international symposium will be held at the Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, on September 7, 2017.

The event will address key challenges facing information and cultural heritage studies and the potential of digital approaches, including:

• In an era of ‘Fake News’, what is the role of information studies in fostering understanding and awareness of the creation, use, and management of knowledge?
• What are the most pressing challenges and opportunities currently facing libraries, archives, museums and galleries, and how can academic research and pedagogy in cultural heritage and information studies address these?
• How is the role of galleries, libraries, archives and museums changing in a digital age and what contribution can the digital humanities make?

Senior figures from the fields of digital humanities, libraries, archives and museums will attend, and discuss current issues facing their fields.

To attend this event, please register via the Eventbrite bookings web page.

First published: 14 August 2017

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