Working Groups

Education, defined as the process of facilitating learning or the acquisition of knowledge in different fields, has a strong impact on our society. The educational process takes place through research, debate, storytelling, discussion, teaching and training in general.

On the one hand, the digital age is opening the way to self-learning platforms, which invites us to reflect on how important human interaction is in this process. This brings up many questions. For example, does culture have an impact on education? How important is cultural exchange for higher education? Where does education really come from, only from established institutions like universities or from open sources?

On the other hand, having access to even elementary school education remains a privilege in some areas of the world. What happens when not everyone has access to the same possibilities? How much influence does our social or economic status have on how much education we receive? Does everyone have the same chances to get into higher education? Contrary to common belief, universities are also affected by this problem. The manifestations of social selectivity may differ greatly between regions, but universities remain a place of social asymmetry. Depending on the region, entire social classes in some instances are deprived of the right to access universities.

Education is not an isolated concept, just as knowledge can be intertwined in different subjects and forms. Along with education comes a great responsibility to pass on what has been learned to new generations and to be able to change patterns for the better. With the passage of time, access to knowledge has become much more open, however, there is still a long way to go for all people, regardless of gender, preferences, socio-economic status, to have access to it.

When it comes to information consumption for many people, the media is an obvious source. Yet how reliable is the information shared on media? Given the stakeholders involved in those behind the ‘production’ of content in the media, we should be questioning the motives of sharing such information before we move to practical implications of this information.

Then a current phenomenon is that of ‘fake news’, particularly in digital spaces. What was supposed to be a more inclusive and interactive approach to information sharing has rendered its own problems. Finding reliable sources, cross verifying data, and digging to the root of the matter is what higher education institutions tell us, students, to do, but with easily available media we fail to go an extra mile and make sure that the information we are getting is factual and real. People are drowning in the sea of information. This raises debates on whether information sharing online should be regulated. This in turn brings up the very important discussion of whether this will hinder access to information.

A potential solution to that could come from improved media literacy. How the responsibility to filter through information falls on consumers is something everyone needs to consider. Media literacy is also to be highlighted as a skill that universities teach students. Media literacy is a practical application of information, one that we as students and as people can easily make an effort towards. Simultaneously, this discussion needs to be handled carefully so as to not shift the blame for matters like media gatekeeping and fake news on the consumer.

Participants of this group would have the chance to compare the current level of media literacy in their countries, discuss the acute problems in the field, and design strategies to ensure that the communicated information is trustworthy.

Information Revolution has changed the human world drastically. The world of technological and scientific advances allows for a more stimulating, cosmopolitan, and prosperous life for some and is more precarious and uncertain for others. Young individuals have been among the most vulnerable groups. There is a consensus on the importance of knowledge for economic growth and local development patterns. With the spontaneous formation of “epicenters” of the economy in different countries and regions of the world, an acute issue is ubiquitous economic literacy, that transcends the borders.

Society and industry currently focus on education as a key resource for success. This focus shift is the result of the collision of a longstanding trend—the expansion of knowledge-based investments and activities—with technological developments that radically altered the production and transmission of knowledge and information. However, the matter that yet stays unchallenged is the connection between the social-economic status of an individual and their knowledge gaining. Despite countless attempts, a wealthy position in society opens more doors. One could argue that the market economy is to blame, as it raises the expectation for the average level of education in the competitive environment. However, a public welfare model could also have a negative effect, namely slowing down economic growth. As complex and multidimensional as economics are, they call for a big shift toward a better future.

As a result, the following questions arise: What are the limits of the existing economic systems? Is there a better alternative? What kind of policies and tax regulations can make the economy more sustainable and fairer for those contributing to it? Can we create an economic paradigm that works for all in the long run? Can the “Knowledge Economy” help us in this task? The group will discuss these and other questions within the week to find common ground.

Technology and its advancements are very prominent topics among students. Universities are often the source of new technologies and change in general. It can be considered a practical application of scientific knowledge and a driving factor of humanity. As students, we generally have the conditions in our favor to gain knowledge and access information about technology. In the long run, we are the ones to invent new technologies, apply them in all kinds of domains, and also teach others about them. But maybe we also have to be the ones questioning and even prohibiting certain technological changes?

On a big scale, we can use our knowledge about technology to solve global problems. Technology plays a role in all of them since all of our life is influenced by it. Those problems might include climate change, poverty, inequality, war, and racism, only to name a few. But let’s also look at how we can use our knowledge about technology on a smaller scale to do good. For example, not all communities have access to information about technology, even though certain technologies could substantially raise the quality of living. Those issues could be tackled and discussed by projects and NGOs, starting with the people in this working group.

But some subtopics of technology are also controversial and uncomfortable. Who exactly benefits from a technological invention? The ones who use it or the ones who invented it? Who owns the technology we use and the knowledge about it? Should all technologies and knowledge be shared? As we know, unequal distribution of resources leads to the exploitation of those who own the least. Also, modern technology is often built upon sensitive data. How can we ensure information security? In general, when talking about technology, many questions and topics pop to mind. This group has the possibility but also a very challenging task of navigating this wide field of thoughts, ideas, and issues. In the end, it all boils down to the basic thought: How can we use our knowledge responsibly and effectively?

The Internet is familiar to everyone, but how much do we actually know about it? Besides entertainment, we use the Internet to connect with other people globally, be it friends, family, co-workers or fellow students. It enables cooperation between universities and research groups around the world, in order to work on all kinds of problems. Knowledge and information is brought to almost all corners of the world, giving more people access to education than ever before. And without it, journalists and whistleblowers would have an even harder time doing their job as the fourth power of democracy.

But, as we are all painfully aware, it can also be used as means of spreading fake news and propaganda. It is used to launch cyber-attacks on individuals, companies, governments, and critical infrastructure. Our private data gets collected and sold, mass surveillance is easily possible, and hate speech and cyber mobbing are omnipresent. As we‘ve seen in the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, even our voting behavior can be influenced by targeted manipulation.

To summarize perspectives on this deep and broad topic, the Internet is neither absolute „good“ nor „bad“. There is a number of positive, as much as also negative aspects related to it, and so far we have only covered a few of both sides. The Internet revolutionized how we think about global communication and brought opportunities and dangers. In order to leverage it in the best way possible, we need to act responsibly, not selfish or naive. In this group, the participants have the possibility to explore some of the many dimensions of this topic.

When it comes to the major problems of our time, politics can probably play the biggest role in approaching and solving these problems. However, a large proportion of people share the view that politics actually does little to nothing in this regard and thus does not make decisions on the basis of scientific consensus. The two most recent examples of this discrepancy between science and politics are the ever-worsening climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The vast majority of the scientific community has been pointing out for decades that policymakers need to take more action on climate change. Nonetheless, there is not nearly enough being done, despite the fact that policymakers are ultimately responsible for addressing these problems. In the light of this, where does this discrepancy between science and politics come from? Could it be an advantage to have such a discrepancy?

One explanation for this discrepancy could be the influence of large lobby groups. Politics often listens to the arguments of influential industry associations rather than non-profit organisations or scientific institutions. But politicians have a responsibility to use their knowledge adequately to draft the legislation that benefits the majority of the population, and not just individual lobby groups. Hence, how important is the link between business, science and politics? Should business or science enjoy more influence on politics? What influence do educational institutions have in this regard? How should knowledge generally be utilized in politics?

Another point of discussion for the group, may also be the composition of politics. Only a few politicians have a scientific background. What could be the reason for that? Should there be more scientists and thus more academics in politics at all, given that this group is already overrepresented there? Or could it perhaps be an alternative to allocate positions directly according to experience in the subject area, such as a science government?

Social injustice and the gap between rich and poor are widening every year, despite the social question being one of the oldest problems of our society. This has serious implications for global access to knowledge. To illustrate, every 5th child on earth has no access to elementary schools, even though it is one of the basic human rights.

The problem also continues at universities. Even if the manifestations differ greatly in different regions of the world, universities are still a place of social selectivity and in no way reflect the social intersection of the population. In some regions, access to universities is even completely denied to entire social classes. Is it enough if we (simply) facilitate access to education through state subsidies, and improve the quality of education through better training and working conditions for teachers? Or does the problem lie much more in the structure of our society itself? After all, our society is still divided into different social strata or classes. Is the question of access to education even a question of class? How should our society be changed in the long term to break down these structures?

Beside the access alone, the responsible use of knowledge should be addressed. To this day, profit is made at the expense of others through the possession of knowledge and the right to use certain knowledge. For example, patents often hinder the development of poorer countries and, above all, increase global social inequality between the global South and North. So, is it fair to put the protection of intellectual property ahead of the commonwealth of populations? How can we give greater consideration to the commonwealth of the socially disadvantaged in the application and advancement of knowledge? And to what extent can universities even be a model for such common wealth-oriented practices?

Due to the rapid increase of human activity and the use of fossil fuels, a long-term change in the average weather patterns is observable in local and global climates. There is also an increase in the average surface temperature of the Earth, due to the increased amount of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. This leads to global warming, which is one of the most pertaining issues of our time. There are existing studies using theoretical model analysis to monitor the changes from past, present, and future.

Being a global issue, there is plenty of data to study and research, so we can learn about its global effects. There has been knowledge about climate change since 1896, yet the actual movement to slow it down is quite recent. This example demonstrates that the problem sometimes isn’t the information itself but much rather what we decide to do with it. To discuss how the environment has changed over the last thousand years and how much of it was due to human impact, could be part of the group discussion to analyse the causes of climate change.. One step could be the identification of human activities that are responsible for environmental damage. What impact do urbanization, industrialization, pollution, and overpopulation have? What role do deforestation, carbon emission, and natural resource depletion play?

Climate change and global warming are the most pressing and discussed current environmental issues. Environmental change is an essential topic as its short and long-term consequences are pivotal to the very existence of nature and mankind. While rapid changes can be devastating, slow environmental changes make it possible for plants and animals to adapt. Since we as humans depend heavily on the environment, we invite the participants to learn about it and discuss how we can improve our relationship with ‘mother earth’. For students this matter is top priority as they are the ones to build a better, more sustainable future and they are currently the driving force in the climate movements. Is it the responsibility of universities to integrate climate awareness into their education? What can they do to achieve this?

At our conference, we plan to provoke the participants to promote and discuss ways to spread the knowledge of the environmental matter, such as for example, the different impact of climate change gloablly. “Change starts with you, but it doesn’t start until you do”, Tom Ziglar. As a society, everyone can make an attempt to improve and conserve the ecosystem and biodiversity. We would also discuss and find ways to decrease our carbon footprint and encourage others to promote measures to do so.

Unrest, war, and deprivation are large-scale challenges that we continue to face. The need for peacebuilding is urgent and relevant in the current scheme of things. Peace, safety, security can be seen as the prerequisite for collective happiness, scientific exploration, and the flourishing of human creativity. While certain parts of the world have experienced relative stability in the last few decades, an equally substantial number of people face uncertainty and danger.

Knowledge and its role in peacebuilding is perhaps a novel topic as we live in an age of unprecedented access to information and data. The application of knowledge from different fields can have a positive impact through informed action. Peacebuilders can connect and collaborate at lightning speed to build movements and coordinate actions in this age of information. Yet, at the same time, the misuse of these tools and capabilities can fuel misunderstandings, aggravate bigotry and hate. Needless to say, young students and the youth, in general, have a responsibility to address the challenges of peace, question their status quo, and continue to be active in the process of a more peaceful future for us all. Especially because universities, as intercultural melting pots, are also affected by hostile conflicts all around the world. They have the responsibility to help the affected students and mediate conflicts that could arise and thereby have a huge impact on peacebuilding on the campus.

How do we go about creating a more peaceful existence on our personal, community, and international levels? How can we develop meaningful policies through access to information and knowledge that can benefit our society in becoming more tolerant and peaceful? Which tools for peacebuilding can we learn and apply? Which tools are especially tailored for peacebuilding at universities?

The judicial system is a key indicator of the manner in which a society functions. Trust and adherence to laws can provide solutions to social issues. The approach toward enforcement and implementation of laws tells the story of freedom versus oppression. At the same time, the laws and norms the society sets for itself are embedded in each aspect of the lives of its citizens.

Unfortunately, knowledge of legislation is not a part of the general school curriculum. Even though this information is far more useful on a day to day basis, asset laws are naturally the foundations of delivery and/or obstruction of justice. Thus, the development and thorough evaluation of laws, their implementation, and their ramifications are vital to any society.

At its core lawmaking can be understood as a complex process of decision making. This process is furthermore challenging due to the disparity in access to knowledge and information within a given population. The notion of democracy depends greatly on the informed participation of citizens. Yet, for generations, minorities and marginalized groups have arguably had limited access to pinnacles of power structures.

Student-led movements and their political leverage have been critical in changing and updating the landscape of laws in communities, countries, and internationally. Youth holds a unique position in identifying injustice and making a tangible difference. What are the issues in law enforcement in different places right now? How can we address them? How can we protect the rights of historically marginalized groups, especially the right for a good and fair education? How can we mitigate global challenges such as racism and climate change through regional and international law? Is there a judicial system that enables safety and respect for all? What knowledge-based solutions can we utilize? These and several other questions can be considered in this group.

With the popularity of the Internet and the emergence of social networks, the term data privacy has become increasingly important. And yet companies, governments and intelligence agencies are collecting more and more personal data and bear a great responsibility in dealing with it. Often, however, this handling is very intransparent and it is difficult to find out what is actually being done with the data. How can this imbalance be counteracted? Can it be of advantage to make the handling of information and knowledge of these institutions more transparent? How can we get people to be more sensitive about their personal data?

Another direction that the group discussion might take is dealing with whistleblowers. They demand or force transparency by publishing secret knowledge or information. Is it fair that some whistleblowers, such as Edward Snowden or Julian Assange, are being prosecuted for their efforts? Do we need more protection for whistleblowers? Is the publication of these secrets justified by moral motivations like, for example, the exposure of human rights violations?

Additionally, the participants can compare and analyze the transparency and data privacy at their universities. Is the situation here better or worse than in other sectors? Can we use open technologies that are developed at universities to help with the protection of privacy? And do universities have a special role in society to improve the situation for the better? The participants of this group will explore if we students can have a positive influence on the responsible usage of our data.

The topic of Knowledge, Information, and Data cannot be explored without the language. The language used to create, spread and perceive knowledge and information is a powerful tool since it influences our thinking. Slogans with strong, inspiring wording can lead to ideological and political movements. Language can also be manipulative e.g. election campaigns can be won with skillful rhetoric. Receiving propaganda in such a way can create an illusion of knowing the truth. Will understanding the language better prevent us from becoming the victims of the misused information?

The more languages one knows the more information becomes accessible. But would not it be easier to amass all critical knowledge in one universal language? English has already become the language of science and technology. However, there is some equally crucial knowledge that has been passed down through generations in the various native languages around the world. Some languages are now facing extinction, which means unrestorable loss of the wisdom of people who once spoke them.

This also makes language an integral part of higher education. The language we use to transfer our knowledge plays a vital role in how it is perceived and remembered. What language should be used when knowledge is transferred? On the one hand, using the mother tongue to transfer knowledge makes it more comprehendible and engaging. On the other hand, using a universal language forces the students to get comfortable with it as it is integral to the field of the topic and integrates foreign students making intercultural exchange easier.

During the group work, the participants are invited to discuss the essentiality of the language in receiving, creating, spreading, and perceiving the information. The role of the language in education and critical thinking as well as in propaganda and misinformation would also be explored by this group.

Data sciences have become a popular discipline that transcends its own domain and permeates every other field. It has both academic and practical applications with utility for social causes and human rights, particularly gender equality. It has been used to highlight injustice, improve health outcomes, and even start anti-government protests. Yet at the same time, it has also been used to discriminate, police, and surveil. In the context of feminism, in particular, data can be used to both facilitate and disfavor. Its impacts can be intersectional. As a result, the role and usage of information and knowledge must be reevaluated in the context of data feminism.

On the other hand, it may be argued that the digital sphere provides ample space for all genders to raise their voices. Yet, even with movements like data feminism, we are to some extent blind because the focus tends to be primarily on women. This should not undermine the impact of data feminism, especially in terms of education and the responsibility of countering bias with knowledge.

Despite efforts over the years, while some rank better than others on the global index, no country has achieved gender equality. When it comes to education and information, in general, it is a resource. Much like other resources, access is granted based on one’s socio-economic background. While women are obviously struggling to get a seat at the table we often forget about other genders. When it comes to representation, is too low to suggest an equal opportunity. Even if there is equal opportunity to apply for positions, are the conditions in these sectors unbiased so as to encourage more women and non-binary people to join? Or does the issue go even deeper to social conditioning of women and non-binary people and discouraging them from an early age?

Despite the plethora of information, we now have access to, there is still so much misinformation surrounding the non-cisgender and non-heterosexual community that can be found online. Such a lack of reliable information and knowledge is a partial cause of not being able to distinguish between trans people and intersex individuals. Understanding the difference between various spectrums like the gray spectrum, Kinsey scale, Klein Sexual Orientation Grid, and Storm Sexuality Axis is not to be overlooked.

Aside from the misinformation, there is also the issue of disinformation and malinformation. Deliberately disseminating inaccurate information either due to personal beliefs or an agenda. Which makes awareness and education surrounding the subject even more important. Adequate education can be used to counter disinformation and malinformation. Just as actively as this false information is disseminated, there need to be similar efforts for accurate information.

Then tools like ‘norm criticism’ and the role of knowledge and education should also be explored. Norm criticism as the name suggests is suggesting what has been deemed ‘normal’ by society over centuries. These norms are what ostracized certain individuals such as the LGBTQIA+. However, with information as a tool, we can change archaic norms. As well as study power structures within society that enforce such notions of ‘normal’.

But how can the LGBTQIA+ community be included in the knowledge and data discussion? Can the research field of gender and sexuality studies integrate the aspects of the implication of knowledge and information? To what extent can we improve our cooperation to provide education for all considering that discrimination still exists around the world? Can universities contribute to eliminating inequalities through equal educational opportunities? The participants from all over the world can exchange in this group on how these topics are being tackled in their universities and develop future-oriented ideas together.

Today, the impact of a play may not be as great as it was in the past. Nevertheless, the preparation of a play can lead to an intensive examination of a topic. Moreover, the performance itself has the potential to encourage the entire audience to contemplate the issues raised in the piece. Therefore, knowledge and information can be conveyed in a targeted manner, for example with a discourse about social and political problems. Consequently, the theater bears a great responsibility, since propaganda or distorted information can also be transmitted subconsciously.

During the group work, the participants can exchange their experiences with theatre based on their different cultural backgrounds. How is this form of art perceived in your home country? What emotions do you feel while watching a play? What story would you like to tell the audience of a big theatre?

Besides those outright personal questions, the group can also discuss many globally relevant topics. What role can theater play in social and environmental change and what impact does it have on political, social, and environmental discussions at universities? What social problems can be addressed in a theatrical environment so that it would be used not only as entertainment but also as an educational medium, especially with regard to knowledge centers such as universities?

At the end of the group work, based on all of the questions raised above, the group is encouraged to write their own theatre play and perform it during the closing ceremony. In accordance with the main topic of the conference, the participants will use their knowledge to create art. They will convey information to the audience and may even raise one or more globally relevant questions?

Is there anything more spectacular than being able to communicate with someone through movement? Dance is an expression of the body through movement. It is something that unites people no matter where they come from, no matter how old they are, no matter who they are. It has the power to share movements and sensations.

Be it waltz, tango, Latin or African rhythms, folk dance, or other kinds of dance, they all allow us to transmit our emotions. In this way, the movement offers the possibility to connect people and therefore stimulate discussion and dialogue. Just as dance, discussions about the responsibility of knowledge can be fathomless. In dance, there is a chance to make people emotionally aware of situations that require change. Be it through traditional forms or trying something completely new. Dances can connect people and encourage them to exchange and interpret the works. How are individual motives reflected? Are dancers aware of the meaning of their dances? When and why are dances discarded, reconsidered, or redesigned? How can we actually change something through dance, especially with regard to our society at universities?

Participants of this group will have the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of dances and engage in cultural exchange and international understanding, especially at universities. Are students even aware of the importance of different dances? In the dance group, the mentioned aspects can be critically questioned with regard to known dances. Possible approaches are to be discussed, particularly how the topic of knowledge can be represented and transported through dance. Since dance is also an essential element to promote interaction between people, there is the possibility to develop a choreography that will be performed at the closing ceremony.

“Music is a matter of taste”. The world is rich in different styles of music which are quite diverse. There is no possibility to objectively rank different styles of music. Then why are their academic preferences as to the kind of music taught in educational institutions such as universities?. Despite the high diversity in music, there is a dominating view in musical theory: It is mainly based on the music and the perspective of western composers from 17th to 19th centuries. According to this viewpoint, it is limited to their style, their harmonics, dynamics and their way of notation.

What other forms of music and musical theory are not considered? How is this related to the genesis of knowledge? Looking at influential musical theorists, there is a clear pattern where you mostly find white European men who define what music theory is. How is this connected to colonialism? How is it connected to different forms of discrimination such as racism, sexism, ableism, classism and other forms of discrimination? At the same time understanding and analyzing those discriminations and exploring new forms of music and musical theory can improve intercultural exchange and understanding for the students of the group.

While knowing that there are multiple perspectives that are not yet considered widely, how can we broaden the view on music in theory and action? Participants of this group can share their thoughts on musical theory. Also, a major part of the group work is connected to creating music themselves which will be performed at the closing ceremony of the student conference.

The documentation group has the important task of documenting and recording the many discussions, ideas, and results of the numerous events, presentations and group work. The participants in this group will gain a diverse insight into the conference and report on it. The goal will be to compile as complete event report as possible that will be later shared with the public. In this way, we would like to offer all participants the opportunity to remember ISWI 2023 through this documentation, in addition to their collected experiences and impressions.

The group will work in collaboration with the ISWI public relations department. There will always be documentation of current events on our social media channels during the conference. The participants can also support the student university radio (Radio hsf), as well as the Ilmenau student television station (iStuff) in filling their broadcast formats to cover ISWI 2023. Within this framework, for example, discourse partners can be sought, interviews conducted, reportage and documentation videos created and other own ideas for creative documentation developed and implemented. The direct cooperation of the participants with the different student associations of the TU Ilmenau promotes intercultural networking, which the conference aspires to achieve.

The members of this group will thus have the opportunity to look at the topic of ISWI 2023 from many different angles! On the one hand, they will be able to visit all areas of the conference – even “backstage”, which remains hidden from most participants. On the other hand, they will also be able to gain practical experience in the areas of public relations, media production and journalism, which are obviously very closely related to the main theme of the conference.