INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND INCLUSIVENESS OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE TIME OF CRISIS SITUATIONS

Osijek, May 22-23, 2023

We are pleased to announce that the deadline for submission of proposals has been extended until 15 December, 2022.

The International Conference on Digital Transformation and Inclusiveness of the Higher Education Institutions in the Time of Crisis Situations is planned as one of the Multiplier Events of the Erasmus + project Digital Education for Crisis Situations: Times When There is no Alternative- DECriS (2020-1-HR01-KA226-HE-094685). DECriS project is coordinated by the Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Osijeku (Croatia), with partners from Stiftung Universität Hildesheim (Germany), Universitat de Barcelona (Spain), University of Library Studies and Information Technologies (Bulgaria) and Sveučilišni računski centar Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, (Croatia).

The main goals of the DECriS project are tackling future skills mismatches and promoting excellence in digital skills development; ensuring Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) contribute to innovation and inclusive digital education and strengthening connectivity at international level. In the line with EC’s goals, DECriS project intend to focus on the development, testing, and promotion of flexible and modular Open Educational Resources (OERs) design and their placement on the project’s platform; and integration of work placements in online environment. The project also aims to build evidence about what works in HEIs about Digital education during COVID-19 primarily, but as well in other crisis situations through studies, expert groups, and analysis and monitoring of benchmarks and indicators.

We invite (L)IS community to join us in Osijek, Croatia for two DECriS project conference days May 22-23, 2023. We would also like to inform you that later that week (May 24-27, 2023) an international conference Libraries & Information Institutions in the Digital Age (LIDA), organized by Rutgers University, USA, and University of Osijek and University of Zadar, Croatia, will take place in city of Osijek. We invite you to consider prolonging your stay in Osijek and take part in both events (at discounted registration rate).

The Department of Information Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Osijek, a member of i-Schools movement, will also mark 25^th anniversary of its establishment (www.ffos.hr) during the conference.

Thus, plan your trip to Osijek and Croatia, as there will be a number of interesting events (invited lecturers, workshops, accepted papers and panel discussions).

Your proposals are welcomed as research papers, short papers and posters. For research papers we would expect proposals no longer than 7 000 words; for short papers the limit is 3 000 words. Poster should have not more than 1 500 words.

Proposed sub-topics for DECriS Conference are:

• Digital Education (DE): approaches, strategies and organisational models
• DE supporting equity, inclusion and internationalization of higher education (HE)
• DE in the time of crisis: innovative practices and solutions
• Virtual reality and game-based learning
• Emergency online teaching: experiences and best practice
• Emergency online teaching and mental health issues
• Trauma-informed teaching and learning
• Wellness and self-care strategies for dealing with stress, anxiety and burn-out of teachers and students 
• Mobile teaching
• Pros and cons for DE in the time of crisis  
• Teachers' and students' perception and expectations of DE
• Users’ experience and satisfaction with hybrid and DE; best practices
• Pedagogical approaches to the DE
• New methodologies and digital competencies for DE
• Innovative curricula and educational methods in DE
• Digital testing and assessment
• Impact of hybrid and DE on learning outcomes and higher education in general
• Digital transformation: the role and expected impact of information institutions on higher education  
• Open Educational resources (OERs): perception, experiences, challenges
• (Quality) evaluation of OERs: approaches, case studies, views from different perspectives and experiences
• Internship and apprenticeship in the time of crisis: perception, experience, challenges
• Digital internship  

Deadlines: 

Submission of proposals: 1 15 December 2022

Notification of acceptance: 15 January 2023

Submission of full-text manuscripts (conference papers only) for consideration for publication in scholarly journals (Education for Information – Q1 and Vjesnik bibliotekara Hrvatske – Q3): 28 February 2023 (OPTIONAL)

Notification of acceptance of full-text manuscripts for publication: 1 April 2023 

Publication of peer reviewed conference papers: by the end of 2023 

Submissions should be uploaded at: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=decris2023

Conference fee:

For accepted research papers/short papers/posters – 150 Euros

For participants without presentations – 200 euros

For students – 50 euros

Venue - The City of Osijek

Osijek is the fourth-largest city in Croatia and the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja County. Osijek is located on the right bank of the Drava River, 25 km (16 mi) upstream of its confluence with the Danube river.

Various cultures have left their mark in this city, since Osijek is also strategically well-positioned, with neighbouring countries like Hungary and Serbia within driving distance. Nearby, there is a must-see Nature Park Kopački rit, also called the European Amazon, which was declared a part of the Mura-Drava-Danube Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO. The city is increasingly attracting young populations thanks to its prestigious university and a growing software development industry. Osijek is also known as a gastronomical capital of Croatia, offering diverse specialties such as fresh fish, game, organic veggies, and delicious artisanal pastry, made in traditional ways. The city has a growing craft beer scene, and is surrounded by a traditionally well-known wine making region. The city is considered as a local capital of bicycling and every June it hosts the Pannonian Challenge, an extreme sport and music festival. 

To get an idea of the picturesque nature of the city and the river Drava, you are invited to take this virtual tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KY_ocokDqE

Venue:

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Osijek, Lorenza Jaegera 9, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia

Please follow the information about the DECriS project conference at https://decris.ffos.hr/

Also, for your information: following our Conference the LIDA Conference (Libraries & Information Institutions in the Digital Age) takes place – https://lida.ffos.hr/