Stellenbosch University’s Policy Innovation Lab has joined the Global Network of Internet & Society Centers (NoC), coordinated by the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. This makes SU one of only three members from Africa, and the only South African university represented in the network, says Prof Willem Fourie, head of the Policy Innovation Lab.

Das KI-Tool OneTutor wurde im Sommersemester 2025 in 84 Lehrveranstaltungen an zehn bayerischen Hochschulen eingesetzt und begleitend vom bidt empirisch untersucht. Die Studienergebnisse basieren auf Befragungen von bis zu rund 1.000 Studierenden und 31 Dozierenden sowie auf Nutzungsdaten aus dem System.

Den Auftakt zum SZ Digitalgipfel machte Bundesdigitalminister Dr. Karsten Wildberger mit einer Keynote zur Staatsmodernisierung im digitalen Zeitalter. Er betonte, dass leistungsfähige Infrastruktur und eine moderne Verwaltung zentrale Voraussetzungen für Wettbewerbsfähigkeit seien. Dabei sei ein wichtiger Schritt die Entwicklung einheitlicher Standards für digitale Verwaltungsstrukturen – etwa durch eine souveräne Cloud-Infrastruktur, über die künftig Bürger-Apps, digitale Verwaltungsservices und KI-Anwendungen laufen sollen.

Dungkäfer beseitigen in Wäldern den Kot von Wildtieren und hemmen damit die Ausbreitung von Parasiten. Den Dung arbeiten sie in den Boden ein und liefern somit Nährstoffe an Pflanzen. Diese Aufgabe erfüllen sie sowohl in europäischen Wirtschaftswäldern als auch im Amazonas. Steigende Temperaturen könnten jedoch zu einem Rückgang der Artenvielfalt und der Populationsgrößen von Dungkäfern führen.

The Dutch Open Government Act (Wet open overheid) has the potential to act as a game changer, as it will require governments to disclose these administrative decisions proactively to everyone.
The post Open Data Day essay #5: ‘Decisions under the public eye: a promising set of open data’ first appeared on Open Knowledge Blog.

The Barcelona Declaration on Open Research Information was launched in 2024 as an initiative to encourage research institutions and research funders to actively contribute to the open availability of research information.
The post Open Data Day essay #4: ‘Open access and open data alone are not enough’ first appeared on Open Knowledge Blog.

The best way to promote a more transparent government is by showing the value and importance of the data that is already open and available.
The post Open Data Day essay #3: ‘Datagraver’ first appeared on Open Knowledge Blog.

Today, we understand that openness alone is not enough to generate lasting and structural impact. Open without structure is like a library without a catalogue.
The post Open Data Day essay #2: ‘From OPEN to FAIR’ first appeared on Open Knowledge Blog.

Although there are many examples of how open data reuse generates societal value, this potential is sometimes forgotten in political debates on open governance.
The post Open Data Day essay #1: ‘Data is a goldmine, if you share it’ first appeared on Open Knowledge Blog.

Interview with Pilar Sáenz from Fundación Karisma.
The introduction of Digital Tribulations, a series of intellectual interviews on the developments of digital sovereignty in Latin America, can be read here.

Quantenkommunikation gilt als zentrale Säule moderner IT-Sicherheitsforschung. Sie schafft die Grundlage für sichere digitale Infrastrukturen, den Schutz sensibler Daten und die technologische Souveränität Deutschlands. Die im Juli 2025 vom Bundeskabinett beschlossene Hightech Agenda Deutschland benennt Quantentechnologien, insbesondere die Quantenkommunikation, als eine der Schlüsseltechnologien der Zukunft.

aau/MüllerAt the intersection of proximity sensing and tactile perception, Serkan Ergun at the University of Klagenfurt is researching novel near-field sensing technologies for robotics. The aim is to equip machines with precise awareness of their immediate surroundings — a key prerequisite for safe, adaptive interaction between humans and robots in dynamic environments.

A new joint report explores how AI regulatory sandboxes can provide a controlled environment to support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in safely adopting AI technologies.

The United Nations Development Program (UNPD) in Uzbekistan, in a joint effort with StratejAI, and the Datasphere Initiative, has released a new report on the state of AI development in the country. The publication maps practical pathways for responsible AI development in Uzbekistan’s economy, focusing heavily on the implementation of AI sandboxes.

Lebanon is not just facing a direct military escalation. It is living through an Israeli-led digital war which is reshaping how people are communicating, what they are thinking and believing in, and how they make decisions during moments of crisis. 

One of the most common threats we’ve observed lately as part of the digital war is the intensification of hate speech against displaced people, a sectarian narrative reminiscent of memories from the civil war that we thought was long-gone.