LUMS launches Research Initiative on Internet and Society

RIIS will be a collective of independently run, funded projects dealing with aspects of internet, society in Pakistan.

LAHORE: The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) is launching a cross-university interdisciplinary Research Initiative on Internet and Society (RIIS).

A news release by the university states that the goal of the initiative is to explore Pakistani cyberspace, facilitate its study, better understand its relationships to business, technological, economic, social, legal and other dimensions of society, and to undertake projects that encourage better utilisation of cyberspace for the country’s development.

Various efforts and activities will be brought together under a common umbrella to encourage activities and research across the university. It will be a collective of independently run and independently funded projects dealing with various aspects of internet and society in Pakistan.

LUMS Vice Chancellor Dr Adil Najam said that the initiative is aimed at encouraging cross-disciplinary research and collaboration in an area that cuts across all the Schools and departments at the university.

“In keeping with the ‘network’ spirit of the internet, the Initiative on Internet and Society at LUMS will not be a formal centre or organisation but will be a network of people around LUMS who are interested in and working on these issues,” he said.

“The goal of the Initiative on Internet and Society is to create a space at LUMS where ideas and activities can be generated to contextually understand and deploy the power of the ‘connected’ society to Pakistan.”