On 12th and 13th April we hosted an ESRC-funded training event for doctoral students in Information Science at Edinburgh Napier’s Sighthill campus. There were 23 participants in total, representing the four partner institutions of the Information Science Pathway of the Doctoral Training Centre of the Scottish Graduate School of Science. In addition, we welcomed two visiting Greek academics to the gathering: Dr Petros Kostagiolas and Dr Christina Banou, both from the Ionian University of Corfu. Delivered over two days, the training comprised a mix of lectures and exercises with plenty of time for the students to renew friendships and make new connections, including a small drinks reception on the first evening. Continue reading
Tag Archives: doctorate
Call for participation at iDocQ 6, Glasgow, 23 June 2016 (#iDocQ2016)
Students working towards research degrees in Information Science and related subjects are invited to register for the 6th Information Science Doctoral Colloquium – iDocQ 6 – hosted by the Information Science Pathway of the ESRC Scottish Graduate School of Social Science Doctoral Training Centre (SGSSS DTC) on Thursday 23rd June at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. The event is suitable for doctoral students at all stages of their studies. Continue reading
Information Science Scotland: advanced training for PhD students April 2016
#InfoSciScot
Information Science Scotland, the partnership of the four Scottish universities that support research students within the ESRC Scottish Graduate School of Social Science Information Science Pathway (Edinburgh Napier, Glasgow, Strathclyde, and Robert Gordon), is hosting a two-day training event on April 12th and 13th 2016. The venue is the Sighthill campus of Edinburgh Napier University (room 5.B.14), which has good transport links to the rest of the city by tram, bus and train. Continue reading
Power to the population? The population census under review
In November 2015 Lynn Killick, who works with me within the Centre for Social Informatics, presented some preliminary results from her doctoral study at the Asian Conference on Technology, Information and Society (ACTIS) 2015. Lynn’s AHRC-funded PhD is entitled An investigation into the population census as a tool for building the good society: policy, ethics and social informatics. Its focus is the future of the population census, and its role in informing the good society. Continue reading
Deadlines approaching for Edinburgh Napier research studentship opportunities
We are currently offering three different funded research studentship opportunities in the Institute for Informatics and Digital Innovation within the School of Computing at Edinburgh Napier University. All of these have deadlines in the next few days: one on Monday 11th January, and the other two on Friday 15th January. These are summarised in the table below, with links to additional information on each scheme. If you are planning to make an application for one or more of these schemes, please don’t miss the deadline(s)! Continue reading
Opportunities to embark on PhD study in 2016: four funded places within the School of Computing at Edinburgh Napier University
The School of Computing at Edinburgh Napier University is currently advertising four funded research studentships. Applications are due by Friday 15th January 2016, interviews for the places will take place in February 2016, and the four successful candidates will join us at a mutually convenient time in the first or second quarter of 2016 (i.e. a date prior to the end of June 2016).

The successful candidates will follow in the footsteps of 2015 School of Computing PhD graduates Dr Hannah Rudman and Dr Louise Rasmussen
On this occasion applications are sought in twelve specific areas. Those of us within the Centre for Social Informatics are particularly interested in receiving applications on two themes: (1) information systems for organisational effectiveness; and (2) digital media for cultural engagement. Continue reading
Applications invited for ESRC Scottish Graduate School of Social Science Doctoral Training Centre studentship competition 2016
The Information Science Pathway of the ESRC Scottish Graduate School of Social Science Doctoral Training Centre (SGSSS-DTC) is currently inviting applications for this year’s studentship competition.
Academic staff at each of the pathway member institutions – including those within the Centre for Social Informatics at Edinburgh Napier University – would be pleased to hear from eligible candidates who would like to apply for a PhD place under this scheme. Applications are due for submission to the SGSSS-DTC by Wednesday 17th February (explained below). However, initial contact regarding this opportunity must be made by Monday 11th January 2016. Continue reading
Congratulations Dr Louise Rasmussen and Dr Hannah Rudman
Congratulations to Louise Rasmussen and Hannah Rudman who were awarded their PhDs at the Edinburgh Napier University graduation ceremony at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh today.
Six papers at Information, Interactions and Impact i3 2015, and a preview of iDocQ 2015
The programme for Information, interactions and impact: i3 2015 has just been published. This international conference, held on a biennial basis in Aberdeen, brings together an international community of academic and practitioner researchers to explore the quality and effectiveness of the interactions between people and information, and how such interactions can bring about change. This year it takes place at the Aberdeen Business School, Robert Gordon University from Tuesday June 23rd to Friday June 26th. I’m delighted that six paper proposals that I co-authored for submission to the conference have been accepted, and they can now be seen in the programme.
Five of the six papers draw on projects currently undertaken by colleagues and research students within the Centre for Social Informatics: Christine Irving; Lynn Killick; John Mowbray; Frances Ryan; and Louise Rasmussen. These are:
Doctoral degree programme evaluation at the University of Borås

Union flags fly to mark the visit of British Professors Hazel Hall and David Allen to the University of Borås
Last June I blogged about a trip to University of Borås in Sweden to serve as the opponent at a doctoral defence. This week I made a return visit to the University. On this occasion I was an external member of a panel charged with auditing the University’s doctoral education programme in Library and Information Science.
