Vision and Strategy
Vision and Mission
The vision of Digital Futures is to shape an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable society through digital transformation.
This will be achieved through the mission to
Excel in Research–create an international breeding ground for pioneering, cross-disciplinary research on digital technologies.
Empower People–foster innovation, education, leadership and entrepreneurial spirit.
Build Community–develop collaboration between academia, industry and public sector.
Three fundamental principles permeate all activities of Digital Futures; scientific excellence, strategic renewal and cross-cutting communities.
At the foundation of Digital Futures are strong academic traditions complemented by leading international industry, entrepreneurial spirit and a city with a bold strategy for urban and societal development. People, partners, strong brands and long-term investments will enable Digital Futures to build solid yet agile operations to deliver and prosper.
Research at Digital Futures
The Strategic Research Programme is at the core of Digital Futures and it must be marked by scientific excellence to successfully lead towards the vision. Innovation and development require renewal, the recruitment and development of talented junior researchers, research of unknowns, and testing novel ideas. Connecting communities, in the sense of different scientific disciplines, but also industry and public sector with academia, will support the process. Cross-cutting communities encourage inter-disciplinarity and diversity, giving broader perspectives. This in turn creates opportunities to discover synergies and patterns, that allows for research addressing a range of societal challenges.
Ambition
Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity, inclusion and equality are increasingly pointed out as crucial for the successful development of society. Digital transformation is no exception, and e.g. digital systems are often not designed for persons with disabilities. The majority of digital innovations and ICT research is performed in high-income regions and the gender balance at universities is still not equal.
Digital Futures will address these challenges in various ways, including opening up specific calls, follow up project leadership equality and diversity, as well as strive towards really diverse and inclusive management within Digital Futures.
Link to Digital Futures projects focusing on diversity and inclusion
Strategic Instruments and Activities
Most of the activities coordinated by Digital Futures will happen in projects. These projects will cover one or more of the three research themes; trust, cooperate and learn. Although the research projects will correspond to the largest portion of the overall budget, Digital Futures will set up many different kinds of projects over its life-time. An initial composition is given by the following list. Over the coming years, new instruments and activities not yet anticipated may be added if feasible.
Research projects
- Collaborative projects
- Researcher pairs
- Partner Innovation projects
- Digital Demo Stockholm projects
- Digital Transformation Institute projects
- Seed projects
Testbeds and data
- Demonstrator projects
- Data hub and enabler
Mobility programme and talent development
- Academia-institute-industry mobility
- Fellowship programme (internal, visiting, industrial)
- Cross-disciplinary postdoc programme
- Talent scouting and recruitments, including Future Digileaders
- Diversity and Inclusion programme
- Targeted experimental courses and research activities
- BSc and MSc student research engagements and summer programme
International focus periods and workshops
- High-profile annual international focus periods in May-June
- Summer schools and graduate courses
- International conferences and workshops
- Distinguished lecture series and seminars
User groups and industry-society engagement
- Development of cooperation between industrial partners from different business sectors
- Development of innovation processes between industrial partners and public sector (Digital Demo Stockholm, DDS)
- Evolving tasks groups on cross-sector topics
Dissemination and reach-out
- Distinguished Lecture Series and other seminar series
- Annual Digitalize in Stockholm Conference