DITES - Events of the Research Centre

Our interdisciplinary conferences are held at irregular intervals on specific topics relating to the digitalization of social services.

INTIA Ergebnistagung (Image: INTIA 2022)

INTIA Ergebnistagung 2022

The interdisciplinary team of the research project “Inklusive Entwicklung von Methoden und Technologien für digitale Hilfen zur Alltagsbewältigung in der Behinderten- und Erziehungshilfe (transl. Inclusive Development of Methods and Technologies for Digital Assistance for Coping with Everyday Life in Disability and Educational Support)”, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, presented the results towards the end of the project and invited an open discussion on the theoretical research framework, practical references and sustainable follow-up perspectives. The scientific findings and developed products and methods of the BMBF-funded research and development project were presented.

DITES Tagung 2017 (Image: DITES 2017)

DITES-Tagung 2017 Apps & Co ''between control and self-empowerment''

On November 24 and 25, the first interdisciplinary conference of DITES took place at the headquarters of the Cologne research focus on Ubierring. The topic of the event: Apps & Co between control and self-empowerment. This theme was the common thread running through all the presentations given by the invited speakers. Over the course of two days, visitors were able to exchange ideas in the various panels.

Zur Vorstellung der neuen Software der Bundesagentur für Arbeit gehörte auch ein Video (Image: DITES)

DITES Open is a (non-)regular open event at TH Köln. It gives students, researchers, practitioners and interested parties from within and outside the university the opportunity to gain an insight into the interdisciplinary field of the research focus.

To this end, students from a wide range of disciplines present project results on the use of digital technologies in social work, health and care together with professors involved in the research focus. Topics in recent years have included Smartphone app against school failure, digital media to support children with disabilities, sensor-based home emergency call in elderly and disabled care and digital solutions in working with refugees.

DITES Open 2021

After a pandemic-related break in 2020, the DITES Open 2021 offered insights into the use of digital technologies in social work online for the first time.

DITES Open 2019

The 4th DITES Open took place on June 26: The event offered insights into empirical and practical projects on the use of digital technologies in social work, health and care.

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DITES Open 2018

The DITES Open took place for the third time on June 27, 2018. Current projects by students, professors and practitioners were presented.

DITES Open 2017

This event offered insights into the research topics and accompanied student projects of the interdisciplinary research focus “Digital Technologies and Social Services”

DITES Open 2016

This event offered insights into the research topics and accompanied student projects of the newly installed research focus “Digital Technologies and Social Services”

The DITES Dialogue is a small-scale exchange and networking forum for social institutions and their sponsors that are already dealing with the digitalization, informatization and mediatization of their work. 

At the DITES Dialogue, they can discuss the potential benefits and effects of digital technology on practical and organizational processes from their own experience. To develop and implement innovative ideas for the use of digital technologies in the field of social work, health and care, DITES researchers will give keynote speeches on theory and practice and present the funding landscape in the subject area. The DITES Dialogue took place for the first time on November 3 and 4, 2016 in Kleve.

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At irregular intervals, DITES members and guest lecturers offer lectures on various topics.

Designing artificial intelligence responsibly - avoiding discrimination and bias

This lecture took place on 31.10.2019 and was an event organized by the Gender Competence Expertise Circle at the Center for Teaching Development and the DITES (Digital Technologies and Social Services) research focus, made possible by central equality funds. In addition, approaches and methods that avoid such effects of AI technology were consulted. The speaker, Prof. Dr. Corinna Bath, also presented her own proposals for a fairer use of AI.

mHealth for mental health: evidence, privacy, and consumer perspectives

This presentation, given by Dr. Jennifer Nicholas, took place on September 27, 2017 and addressed the challenges and potential of mobile health in early intervention for bipolar disorder, focusing on two key barriers to the widespread adoption of such digital health solutions: scientific quality and the influence of the consumer perspective. The results of a study on the quality of smartphone apps for bipolar disorder were presented and the evidence base and data protection of these applications were critically examined. Subsequently, the often neglected voice of users in mobile healthcare was discussed. A combined quantitative and qualitative study provided insights into the expectations and experiences of app users, with the aim of highlighting possible ways of overcoming existing barriers and creating the basis for better integration of digital technologies into mental health care.

As an interdisciplinary research focus, a shared understanding of the phenomena surrounding the digitalization, computerization and medialization of work and organizational processes in social services is more important than ever. For this reason, a one-week work and ideas workshop is held once a year with the professors and employees involved in DITES. Here they work on individual or joint research projects, publications and funding applications in an open exchange.

Once a month, the DITES research focus meets across faculties in joint working contexts to collaborate and think together. The high level of interdisciplinarity is thus bundled and constantly enables new research perspectives and ideas.

DITES invites you to (un)regular film screenings at Faculty F01 of Cologne University of Applied Sciences. The feature and documentary films shown highlight specific topics that the research focus deals with. Interested viewers are invited to think, exchange and reflect on the thematic introduction conveyed by the films.

DITES shows “Her”

On 13.12.2018, interested students and employees of TH Köln were able to watch the Oscar-winning film Her.

DITES shows “Blade Runner”

On 09.05.2019, the film Blade Runner was shown and discussed in the second edition of the event series.

DITES shows “Hi, AI”

To round off the year, we screened the Max Ophüls Prize-winning documentary Hi, AI on 05.12.2019.

DITES shows “Hidden Figures”

To round off the year, we screened the 48th NAACP Image Award-winning film Hidden Figures on 08.12.2022.