Informatik Austria Takes Responsibility

October 7, 2024 - 3 minutes read - 433 words

Successful Lecture Series “Sustainability in Computer Science” Sets the Course for the Future

Following its great success in the previous academic year, the second nationwide public lecture series, “Sustainability in Computer Science,” will start on Monday, October 7, 2024. This lecture series is unique in Austria, as all Austrian faculties and institutes of computer science are participating under the umbrella of informatik_austria.

The series aims to raise awareness of the critical importance of sustainability in computer science, present research solutions, and initiate developments for a sustainable future.

Participation and Certification

The lecture series already enjoyed high attendance in the Winter Semester 23/24. Over 150 certificates were awarded to participants across Austria, highlighting the series’ appeal and relevance. This demand and the high quality of the series are further documented by consistently positive feedback.

Content and Relevance – “Sustainability is not an optional feature”

The public lecture series covers a wide range of topics that are relevant to students, professionals, and interested citizens alike. The energy demands of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the CO₂ emissions of global video conferences, and the savings from new mobility awareness are among the topics covered, as well as Smart Cities, the sustainable operation of high-performance computing centers, and the projected benefits of quantum computing.

Inter-University Collaboration

The lecture series was designed and conducted as an inter-university event. All lectures were offered online and recorded, allowing for broad participation. Participating universities include the Alpen-Adria University of Klagenfurt, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Graz University of Technology, Vienna University of Technology, University of Innsbruck, University of Vienna, and ISTA.

Outlook and Goals

The successful implementation of the lecture series has laid the groundwork for future projects. Not only will the public lecture series be offered again in the current Winter Semester, but an inter-university supplementary study in Computational Sustainability and an interdisciplinary doctoral program in Computational Sustainability are also in planning. Computer science must take responsibility, and Informatik Austria is stepping up to do so. The clear goal is to position computer science not (only) as a problem maker but as a solution provider. Our students are the future of this country, and they must be equipped with the right mindset.

Closing Remarks

The “Sustainability in Computer Science” lecture series is also a flagship project for cross-institutional computer science education in Austria. It serves as an example of results-oriented, inter-university cooperation and demonstrates the importance and benefits of collaboration between different universities.

Source: https://www.plus.ac.at/news/informatik-austria-uebernimmt-verantwortung/

Coordination Team

Informatik Austria – Informatik an österreichischen Universitäten
Rechbauerstraße 12 | 8010 Graz | Austria
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