Evolution of Information Society Trends - ISTRI's Exploration & Contribution

1. BUTE-UNESCO INFORMATION SOCIETY AND TREND RESEARCH INSTITUTE www.ittk.hu “Riding the information wave – guiding the evolution challenge” Internet and Sociesty

2. BUTE-UNESCO Information Society and Trend Research Institute (ISTRI)Legal status: Independent University InstituteAddress: H-1111 Budapest, Műegyetem rkp. 9. Hungarywww.ittk.hu Person authorised to sign on behalf of the organisation: László Z. Karvalics Phone: +36-1-463-2526Fax: +36-1-463-2547E-mail: zkl@itm.bme.hu Internet and Sociesty

3. Historical background, development, dynamics Our Information Society and Trend Research Institute was established in January, 1998 at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, co-founded by the Hungarian UNESCO Committee. The main objective of the Institute is to carry on high- (in some issues world-) standard, independent interdisciplinary research on the trends of the information technology revolution and its social, economic, cultural and political effects, and to exploit the research results in various ways providing scientific, economic and human answers at the same time. It is both a sociological adventure and a risky, hazardous exploration for all of us to comprehend a world changing and transforming at such a great pace searching for fixed points for decisions, which influence the future. Internet and Sociesty

4. The Institute’s property is the intellectual capital that embraces its work. We wish to provide an institutional background, a ground for communication, and an appropriate infrastructure for new types of co-operative knowledge production processes, a field for the visualisation and maturation of new ideas, and the greatest possible publicity for issues that we feel critically important. We intend to create the base for the “growing-up” of researchers who are capable of dealing with the different segments of the field of the information society on an international level. We would like to produce knowledge through (basic) research, get to know, and if needed, adopt knowledge and patterns produced by others, and disseminate the great deal of knowledge in the country that was produced in this way. However, we definitely intend to introduce our inland experience and research results to the world. Internet and Sociesty

5. As a consequence of all these efforts, we intend to become the domestic reference point of the research of the information society within 2 or 3 years by • carrying out several determinant (2-3 global, 4-8 local, and 3-4 individual) researches, • publishing a professional journal, • founding a professional library and documentation centre, • building our information channel that is capable of tracing even the smallest details of the domestic development of the information society • producing both intellectual benefit and profit • contributing to the improvement of the information strategic awareness of the government, the economy and the society • providing a human-shaped workplace, and an inspiring intellectual background for its employees Internet and Sociesty

6. Integrates strategic and social policy survey of the Internet Internet and Sociesty

7. ISTRI (founded by BUTE and UNESCO in 1998) carries out researches on Information Society. The Institute’s fellows have the required experiences and skills for the scientific and organizational tasks, as a result of the numerous projects accommplished previously. Publications: INFINIT-Information Society – Internet-Information Technologies free online newsletter www.infinit.hu presents the latest trends. Kutatási Jelentés – Research Report – a bymonthly review provides space since 1999 for the fellows of the Institute, and other researchers for publishing their results in Information Science research. Infonia Foundation was established in 2000 as a real grassroots organisation to promote information society and knowledge culture. Its advisory board includes well-known personalities who have already been playing an active role in increasing the awareness in information society. As a result of its successful applications during the elapsed time, the Foundation has launched an aspiring publication program, in which it edits and publishes 4, and by the end of the second half of 2002, 14 publications in the field of information society as parts of different series of publications. Internet and Sociesty

8. ISTRI initiates the setup of research teams at the related fields. The first task is an empirical analysis as a reference source for the rest of the research. As a corollary, recommendations can be formulated. ISTRI undertakes the ask of the adaptation of the basic data and scientific results for popular education. In the meantime, besides these roles, the Institute should be able to make recommendations on the basis of the results of the research. Along with the researchers of the ISTRI, fellows of the partner institutions will also take part in the research program, which includes approximately 50 persons Internet and Sociesty

9. Between 1999-2001 ISTRI hosted the ESIS (Europen Survey of Information Society) office. The aim of this project was to inform the EU about the state of the Information Society in Hungary. ISTRI has been involved in empirical studies. Together with TÁRKI, it is a participant of the World Internet Project, a ten years follow-up empirical and comparative study, coordinated by UCLA. Internet and Sociesty

10. Examination of the social impact of the Internet • Besides aiming to fulfill current research goals, such as exploring the level of expansion and growth rates, the World Internet Project also strives to produce a comprehensive interpretation of the effects of the Internet use in relation to attitude, value, and behavior variables. Internet and Sociesty

11. Longitudinal researchWIP avoids employing a singular aspect to its inquiries. Rather, it attempts to map the general social impacts of the Internet. For this reason, we have developed what we call the longitudinal research project. This is a ten-year project consisting of an annually updated, panel-like survey. Every year, we will ask the same selection of people to complete the survey. This enables us to discover what short and long term effects Internet use has on the life of these households. We will also explore the opinions, habits, and relations of the people who have become users either at beginning or during the survey. WIP-analyses should concurrently trigger new strategies in dealing with the relevant fundamental questions and problems of business, government and politics. Internet and Sociesty

12. International comparison Research teams involved in the World Internet Project share their experiences, conclusions, and the results obtained, regularly through annual conferences. To date, fourteen countries participate in the World Internet Project. Before the manuscript deadline, the following countries joined the survey: Italy, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, South-Korea, Sweden, China, Australia, Germany, Great Britain, France, Finland, India and Brazil. Internet and Sociesty

13. BUTE-UNESCO INFORMATION SOCIETY AND TREND RESEARCH INSTITUTE www.ittk.hu Managing director: Anikó Mészáros meszaros.aniko@ittk.hu Phone:+36 1 463-2526 Fax:+36 1 463-2547 “Riding the information wave – guiding the evolution challenge” Internet and Sociesty