IAIS HISTORY
The International Academy of Information Studies, IAIS was created under the auspices of the IS4SI (International Society for the Study of Information) during its sixth IS4SI conference, held in Beijing in August 2023 and was organized by Yixin Zhong (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications). The conference was dedicated to the "Paradigm shift in the study of information."
230810-IS4SI 2023 Beijing Booklet.pdf
IS4SI HISTORY
At each biennial meeting, IS4SI addresses a specific topic towards a common theme, fostering discussion and thought exchange across disciplinary borders. The Summit 2021, organized by Marcin Schroeder (Akita International University), had the theme "Information Study for the Benefit of Humanity: Learning from the Past and Building the New Normal."
The Berkeley summit in 2019 organized by Terrence Deacon (UC Berkeley), posed the question, "Where is the I in AI and the Meaning in Information?".
The Summit in Gothenburg 2017, dedicated to "Digitalization for a sustainable society: embodied, embedded, networked, empowered through information, computation & cognition," was organized by Gordana Dodig-Crnkovic (Chalmers University of Technology).
In Vienna 2015, the summit, themed "Information Society at the Crossroads," was organized by Wolfgang Hofkirchner (Technical University of Vienna). The 2013 Moscow summit, organized by Konstantin Kolin (Russian Academy of Sciences), focused on "Perspectives of Information in Global Education as a New Approach for the 21st Century." For more information, visit: http://is4si.org/
Previously, the Fourth FIS conference took place in Beijing in August 2010, as part of the FIS Conference series, organized by Ouyang Kan and Zong-Rong Li (Wuhan University of Technology). It was during this event that various research communities came together to officially found the International Society for Information Studies. The first acronym was IS4IS which later on became IS4SI. IS4SI Initiative August 2010 in Beijing.pdf
The Third FIS Conference in Paris (2005) was organized by Michel Petitjean (University Paris Diderot), preceded by the Second FIS Conference in Vienna in 1996, organized by Wolfgang Hofkirchner (Technical University of Vienna). Following the Second FIS Conference, a discussion list was created in 1997, which remains active and is currently contributing to the Academy's activities.
The first FIS conference took place in Madrid, Spain, from July 11-15, 1994, marking its 30th anniversary, organized by Michael Conrad (Wayne State University) and Pedro C. Marijuán (University of Zaragoza).
The archives of FIS Discussion Sessions are available at: https://fis.sciforum.net/fis-discussion-sessions/.
Many multidisciplinary events related to information over the past three decades are documented in these discussions.
THE CHINA CHAPTER OF IS4SI
The China Chapter of IS4SI emerged from a proposal made during Pedro Marijuan and Robert Jahn's 2015 visit to Beijing, where they engaged in discussions of the bylaws of IS4SI. Following a year of preparation, the China Chapter was formally established in 2016, an initiative acknowledged by Wolfgang Hofkirchner on behalf of IS4SI during his visit to Beijing.
Reflecting on the eight years since its establishment, several factors stand out as particularly significant in the Chapter's progress.
Peking University's leadership granted the Chapter a department office to serve as the operational base for IS4SI activities, courtesy of Xueshan Yan's efforts.
A broad and compelling vision and mission were crucial for attracting members. The China Chapter recognized an 'information ecology' conceptual framework of IS4SI, comprising 'Information Philosophy, Information Science (inclusive of Intelligence Science), Information Technology (inclusive of AI), Information Economy, and Information Society.' Efforts were made to identify and support academic leaders in these domains, with Kun Wu leading Information Philosophy, Zhongzhi Shi and Yixin Zhong in Information Science and Intelligence Science, Zhicheng Chen, Huacan He, and Peizhuang Wang in Information Technology and AI, Peifang Yang and Yu Chen in Information Economy, and Kang Ouyang in Information Society. This strategic approach helped in cultivating new academic leaders for emerging sectors.
The organization of academic discussions, seminars, and conferences is pivotal, continually presenting members with new challenges, fostering fresh interests, and encouraging engagement and contributions to society.
IS4SI, FIS, INBIOSA, AND CONTEMPORARY NATURAL PHILOSOPHY
Alongside IS4SI and FIS, the intellectual foundations of the Academy are further rooted in the activities of the Inbiosa network with thematic special issues as well as the transdisciplinary philosophical project of Contemporary Natural Philosophy and Philosophies, (Part 1, Part 2) with the aim to promote collaboration between the natural, social, and human sciences, humanities, and arts.
However, the association between different communities and individual scholars within information studies predates these events. In the Information Age, characterized by the Media Era and the Computer Era of the preceding decades, the concept of information has emerged in virtually all fields of study and practice, albeit with inherent heterogeneity and dissonance. As such, the mission of IAIS is to strive for a new consilience among the sciences, humanities, and arts from the perspective of the concept of information, moving beyond the existing incongruences and across the disciplinary borders of various communities, fostering mutual learning between theory and communities of practice.
HISTORY OF THE ACADEMY AS AN INSTITUTION
An Academy, in the historical sense, refers to an institution of higher learning or a society devoted to the pursuit of intellectual, scientific, or artistic advancement. The concept dates back to ancient Greece, where the term originally denoted the school of philosophy founded by Plato in Athens. Plato's Academy, established around 387 BC, was one of the earliest institutions of higher education in the Western world.
Historically, academies were characterized by their focus on intellectual dialogue and scholarly pursuits, often being detached from religious or governmental institutions. They provided a space for free thinkers, scholars, and students to engage in academic discussions, research, and teaching across various fields such as philosophy, science, literature, and the arts.
Throughout the centuries, the term 'academy' has expanded to include a variety of institutions dedicated to education and research across many fields. Notably, during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, academies played a crucial role in the advancement of science and the arts. They were often sponsored by powerful patrons, including governments and royal families, who sought to promote cultural and intellectual growth.
In modern times, the term 'academy' continues to be used in various contexts, often referring to institutions or organizations that uphold the tradition of intellectual rigor and scholarly excellence in fields ranging from the arts and sciences to the humanities.