The global Network of Internet & Society Centers is a collaborative initiative among academic institutions with focus on interdisciplinary research on the development, social impact, policy implications, and legal issues concerning the Internet. It aims to increase interoperability between participating centers in order to collectively confront transnational issues on a global level. 

 

The Network participants are committed to the principles of openness, collaboration, and diversity. The Network operates independent from governments, political parties and economic interests and does not take formal positions on policy issues. 

 

The Network is peer-based and built upon actual collaboration. It is directed by a Steering Committee, consisting of director-level liaisons of the participating centers, and based on the principle of “rough consensus”. The administrative lead periodically alternates among the participating centers. 

 

Through facilitation, periodic consultation, and collaboration, the Network seeks to create meaningful synergies among the research activities of the participating centers, which remain exclusively in charge with determining their respective research agendas. The Network’s envisioned activities include learning calls, meetings, conferences, exchanges of researchers, collaborative project work, co-teaching, and related academic activities. 

 

The Network is incubated from the bottom-up and will expand over time, building upon existing and future collaborations with the initial participating centers and collectively evolving its structure and practices. 

 

The participating centers of the Network can individually and collectively engage in fundraising efforts on issues relevant to the Network. The activities are governed by the respective rules applicable to each participating center (e.g. University’s fundraising and conflict of interest policies). The Steering Committee is responsible that any funding directed towards the activities of the Network will respect and bolster the values of the Network.