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Digital Humanism

Technology profoundly shapes the world we live in, and the stakes are high. Digital Humanism deals with digital technology development and policies based on human rights, democracy, inclusion, and diversity.

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Digital Humanism is a mindset, a philosophy, a political driving force, a scientific approach, and most of all – a promise to society. That we are determined to build, regulate and develop technology for people, for a better future.

Latest News

  • Digital Humanism Summer School Rwanda
    Jul 14, 2025 Digital Humanism, Summer School, Education Outreach Join leading experts in computer science, social sciences, and the humanities to collaborate on pressing issues of digital politics, economy, and technology.
  • Digital Humanism Conference 2025
    May 26, 2025 Digital Humanism, Conference, Digital Transformation This conference brings together experts to discuss technology, human values, and democratic principles. Challenging the digital, empowering the human.
  • Christof Tschohl: International Data Transfer and Sovereignty
    May 13, 2025 Digital Humanism, Public Lecture, CAIML Join us on May 13 for the public lecture by Christof Tschohl: “International Data Transfer and Sovereignty from a European Perspective”.

Missed something? Scroll down to see all our recent highlights, events, and news.

UNESCO Chair

The UNESCO Chair on Digital Humanism (2023–2027) aims to shape the development of digital technologies and policies toward human rights, democracy, participation, inclusion, and diversity.

Peter Knees and Julia Neidhardt are Chairholder and Co-Chairholder.

The chair was established in 2023 and fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and establishes strong links with partner universities, especially in the global south, through research and education. Moreover, it aims to develop teaching curricula reflecting the topics of Digital Humanism; to include interdisciplinary methods into technical courses at TU Wien; to develop and adopt ethical research policies following UNESCO’s Recommendation on Ethics of Artificial Intelligence; and to organize recurring events to exchange and develop research agendas with related research initiatives.

The chair further acts as a networking hub, connecting partners and activities of the international DIGHUM initiative of TU Wien and the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (CAIML).

Contact
Peter Knees

Peter Knees

Chairholder
Contact
Julia Neidhardt

Julia Neidhardt

Co-Chairholder

UNESCO Chair

Doctoral College

With the launch of the “Digital Humanism” doctoral program in the winter semester of 2024, Vienna is setting a bold standard for interdisciplinary research in digitalization and digital practices. This unique program, a collaboration between Stadt Wien and the Wiener Wissenschafts-, Forschungs- und Technologiefonds (WWTF), goes beyond traditional approaches, bringing together TU Wien, the University of Vienna, and WU Wien, with experts from nine different faculties and departments.

With a total of €3.2 million in funding - including €1.8 million from the City of Vienna and the WWTF - the initiative will support 10 doctoral students directly and several more through third-party funding over the next five years. The program provides a unique opportunity for young researchers to explore the critical intersection of technology and society, and to address pressing digital challenges from a holistic, human-centered perspective.

“Digital Humanism combines the efforts of disciplines that traditionally don’t work together,” says Peter Knees, professor at TU Wien Informatics, UNESCO Chairholder on Digital Humanism, and coordinator of the new doctoral program. This approach promotes a deeper, multifaceted understanding of technology’s role in our world, aiming to create a holistic view that includes ethics, societal impact, and innovation. With the involvement of Vienna’s leading universities, the program brings together a powerful range of perspectives united by a shared goal: to develop a future in which technology serves humanity responsibly and sustainably.

Integrating technological innovation with societal concerns is a core mission at TU Wien. “Long before the Vienna Manifesto for Digital Humanism, we have been dedicated to sensitizing computer science researchers to human-centered approaches in digital technology,” explains TU Wien Vice Rector Peter Ertl.

Activities

We foster a stream of Digital Humanism activities. Find our main players, cooperations and initiatives within and beyond TU Wien Informatics here.

Our Partners. Alone we can do little – but together we can do much.

Informatics Europe
Digital Enlightenment
IEEE
Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen

Our Supporters. Their commitment and support make our efforts possible.

Stadt Wien
Wirtschaftsagentur Wien
WWTF
Christian Doppler Forschungsgesellschaft
Bundesministerium für Europäische und internationale Angelegenheiten
Bundesministerium für Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Energie, Mobilität, Innovation und Technologie
Aurora European Universities Network
ecosio
Falter
Wiener Zeitung
YouKnowMeBest

Follow the links to individual initiatives and projects to learn more about our additional partners, cooperations, and sponsors.

Contact

Want to talk to real people about the challenges we face? Here are the leading experts and primary contacts for all our Digital Humanism initiatives.

Contact
Peter Knees

Peter Knees

Chairholder, DIGHUM
Contact
Julia Neidhardt

Julia Neidhardt

Co-Chairholder, CDL RecSys
Contact
Hannes Werthner

Hannes Werthner

DIGHUM
Contact
Stefan Woltran

Stefan Woltran

CAIML
Contact
Erich Prem

Erich Prem

DIGHUM
Contact
Stefan Szeider

Stefan Szeider

Vienna Gödel Lecture
Contact
Christian Fermüller

Christian Fermüller

Vienna Gödel Lecture

Highlights

Recent highlights, events, and news from all our Digital Humanism initiatives.
Want more? Head over to our Newsroom!

Want more? Head over to our Newsroom!

In the News

Here you’ll find the latest media coverage with our experts:

2025

2024

2023