About the Society
The Informatics Society is an international, non-profit learned society dedicated to advancing research and professional practice in information science, computer science, and their interdisciplinary applications. Founded in 2014 in Budapest, Hungary, the Society has grown to encompass over 300 members from 28 countries across Europe, Asia, and North America.
The Society is governed by an elected Executive Board and operates through four specialized Communities: Artificial Intelligence, Information Systems Research, Cybersecurity, and Data Science. Each Community organizes seminars, workshops, and peer review activities under the guidance of its Steering Committee.
Mission
To foster excellence in information science research through:
- Rigorous peer review — maintaining high standards through double-blind review processes across all publications and events
- Interdisciplinary collaboration — bridging computer science, information systems, business informatics, and related fields
- Professional development — supporting researchers at all career stages through mentorship, workshops, and networking
- Knowledge dissemination — publishing peer-reviewed proceedings and technical reports in an open digital library
- International engagement — connecting researchers across Europe and beyond, with particular focus on Central and Eastern European academic communities
Governance
The Executive Board is elected by the Society's membership for three-year terms. The Board appoints the Chairs of each Community and the Program Chairs for the Annual Symposium. The Secretariat in Budapest handles day-to-day operations.
All publications and symposium submissions undergo double-blind peer review organized by the relevant Community's review panel. Members of review panels serve on a rotating basis to ensure diversity of perspectives and to provide service opportunities for early-career researchers.
History
- 2014 — Society founded in Budapest by 15 founding members from 5 countries
- 2015 — First Annual Research Symposium held at Budapest University of Technology and Economics
- 2016 — Cybersecurity Community established; proceedings series launched
- 2017 — Membership reaches 100 researchers
- 2018 — Data Science Community established; first symposium outside Budapest (Prague)
- 2019 — Digital library launched, providing open access to proceedings
- 2020 — Virtual symposium held due to COVID-19; online seminar series initiated
- 2021 — Membership reaches 200; hybrid event format adopted
- 2022 — First symposium in Western Europe (Vienna)
- 2023 — Technical report series launched
- 2024 — AI Community and Information Systems Research Community established
- 2025 — 11th Anniversary Symposium; membership exceeds 300
- 2026 — Preparation for 12th Annual Symposium; AI Workshop Series launched
Membership
Membership is open to researchers, educators, and practitioners with an active interest in information science. Categories include Full Member (researchers with a record of peer-reviewed publication), Associate Member (graduate students and early-career researchers), and Affiliate Member (practitioners and industry professionals).
Members receive complimentary access to the Society's digital library, discounted registration for the Annual Symposium and workshops, eligibility to serve on review committees and the Executive Board, and a subscription to the quarterly newsletter.