We are very pleased to welcome Prof. Daniel Villela from the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz, Brazil) to the University of Münster. His research stay takes place within the framework of the Brazil Chair Program, funded by the Brazilian research agency CAPES.

Prof. Villela’s work in Münster is integrated into the Interdisciplinary Center for Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Disease Dynamics (IMMIDD), where the group of Prof. Dr. Bernd Hellingrath (Information Systems) and the Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and General Medicine, led by Prof. Dr. 

André Karch, jointly explore new approaches to the mathematical modeling of infectious diseases and their integration into data-driven decision-making processes.

Over the next two years, Prof. Villela will further develop his modeling approaches in close collaboration with the research teams in Münster, aiming to integrate different methodological perspectives and create innovative solutions for epidemiological research.

His stay marks the beginning of an exciting new phase of scientific collaboration between Münster and Brazil and further strengthens the partnership between the University of Münster and Fiocruz in the field of epidemiological modeling.

For her volunteer work and academic achievements, Tran Ha Linh Phan has been awarded the DAAD Prize 2025 by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The Vietnamese student has been pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems at the University of Münster since the winter semester 2022/23.

“From the very beginning, she has demonstrated outstanding academic performance and has enriched our courses with perspectives from her Vietnamese background,” praised Prof. Dr. Michael Quante, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, Transfer, and Sustainability, during the award ceremony at the Botanicum – House of Studies. “Her social engagement reminds us that the university is not only a place for careers but also a space for humanity.”

Tran Ha Linh Phan has consistently advocated for dialogue and social issues. As a member of the university’s UNICEF group, she volunteers in the social media team and organizes charity runs as well as projects with partner organizations. As a volunteer for “Volunteers for Peace Vietnam,” she promotes intercultural exchange in Vietnam. The former student of Chuyen Ngoai Ngu High School in Hanoi also volunteers to support younger students, advising them on studying in Germany. Through the University of Münster’s buddy program, she helps international freshmen navigate their everyday academic life.

The DAAD Prize for Outstanding Achievements of International Students at German Universities is endowed with €1,000. The award aims to send a signal that international students are a valuable enrichment to the university community. In addition, the University of Münster uses the prize to express its appreciation for its international students and their contributions to society. The DAAD Prize is funded by the DAAD with resources from the German Federal Foreign Office (AA).

German Text and Foto: Brigitte Heeke, Communication and public relation, University of Münster

At this year’s EGOV 2025 (IFIP EGOV-CeDEM-EPART 2025) in Krems, Austria, researchers and students from the Department of Information Systems presented current work on key topics in digital government. The scientific conference focuses on the broader areas of e-Government and e-Democracy, including facets like Digital Government, e-Participation, Open Government, Smart Government, AI Government, GovTech, Algorithmic Governance, and related topics to digitalization and government. 

Michael Koddebusch, together with Gabriela Viale Pereira (University for Continuing Education Krems), Lieselot Danneels (University of Ghent), and Ramon Gil-Garcia (University at Albany), organized the PhD colloquium and, together with Vera Spitzer, Maria Wimmer (both University of Koblenz), and Ulrik BU Røhl (Copenhagen Business School), initiated the conference track “Managing eGovernment Projects.” 

Patrick Nguyen presented his research (co-authors Mathias Rusche and Hendrik Scholta) under the title “Unique Uniform: A Taxonomy for Locally Contextualized Public Service Models.” 

In addition, the Master’s students Niklas Kloth, Hans Näscher, Tharuni Delpechithrage, Jonas von Werne, and Moritz Mersmann (each with co-authors) from the Information Systems program developed their seminar papers into conference contributions and successfully presented their results. This once again demonstrated the high scientific quality and practice-oriented research of the program. 

The presented research covered a wide range of topics – from municipal digital strategies and AI-supported systems to the impact of the EU AI Act on public institutions. The contributions highlight both the diversity and practical relevance of the research conducted at the Institute of Information Systems in the field of Digital Government. 

The International Conference on Wirtschaftsinformatik (WI) is regarded as the most important platform for the Information Systems community in German-speaking countries. It offers academics, company representatives, and young professionals the opportunity to learn about and exchange information on the current state of research and business practice. In 2025, the conference celebrated its 20th edition at the University of Münster – the location of the very first WI in 1993. The event was led by Prof. Tobias Brandt and Prof. Jan vom Brocke. The European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS), headquartered in Münster, connected the conference with an international audience.

Under the theme “Digital Future of Society and Business”, the conference focused on emerging digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). Discussions centered on how opportunities created by AI and related technologies can be leveraged, while also addressing the requirements for responsible design and regulation.

The conference featured a diverse scientific program: In addition to numerous sessions and workshops on current research and practice, the new format “Research Spotlight” highlighted innovative projects and the international diversity of the community. A particular highlight were the keynotes by Prof. Liana Buchholz (President of the Sparkassenverband Westfalen-Lippe) and Prof. Dorothy E. Leidner (University of Virginia, USA), who provided clear impulses and reflective perspectives that set important accents.

Beyond the academic content, the WI25 also created unforgettable moments. With the festive ERCIS Reception at the Allweterzoo Münster, a glamorous 1920s-style anniversary party, and additional formats such as a pub crawl, city tour, and morning run, the social program offered numerous opportunities for networking and exchange.

Special thanks go to all authors, reviewers, chairs, workshop hosts, volunteers, and mentors for their commitment, as well as to the sponsors GuideCom AG, Springer Nature, KNIME, Konsultec, viadee Unternehmensberatung AG, Finanz Informatik, d.velop, and zeb consulting, who made the conference possible in this form.

With a wealth of impressions and new impulses, we now look forward to the WI26 at Johannes Kepler University Linz next year.

On September 17 and 18, 2025, the second bootcamp of the EU-funded CURATE project took place at REACH – EUREGIO Start-up Center in Münster. The bootcamp was led by Prof. Tobias Brandt and Shariga Sivanathan from the Chair of Digital Innovation and the Public Sector.

Students from the partner universities Haaga-Helia (Finland), MCI The Entrepreneurial School (Austria), Université Côte d'Azur (France), and the Technical University of Košice (Slovakia) came together to present their final challenge pitches to corporate partners, experts, and their mentors.

Over the past months, the international teams have been working on topics such as artificial intelligence, digital technologies, and health, with the aim of developing innovative, real-world solutions to practical challenges.

The bootcamp concluded with a pitch event where participants showcased their projects. A dedicated pre-pitch training had prepared the teams specifically for this moment.

The bootcamp not only provided space for creative ideas and entrepreneurial impulses, but also fostered the international exchange, cultural diversity, and sustainable networking within the European higher education and innovation community.

In 2025, Prof. Jan vom Brocke is once again among the world’s top 2% most-cited researchers. The Stanford University and Elsevier have published their latest ranking of internationally leading scholars, recognizing the significant impact that the listed researchers have in their respective fields.

Jan vom Brocke, Chair of Information Systems and Business Process Management, ranks first in Germany for Information Systems, 5th in the EU and 68th worldwide out of 18,546 scholars. Also listed for the School of Business and Economics is the now emeritus Professor of Information Systems, Prof. Gottfried Vossen. In total, the University of Münster is represented by 160 researchers.

Details on the ranking methodology and individual placements can be found here.

From September 17 to 18, the University of Münster will host the second bootcamp of the EU-funded CURATE project. The bootcamp will be led by Prof. Tobias Brandt and Shariga Sivanathan from the Chair of Digital Innovation and the Public Sector. The aim of the project is to strengthen students from various European countries in their entrepreneurial and in dealing with artificial intelligence. 

Around 70 students from the partner universities Haaga-Helia (Finland), MCI The Entrepreneurial School (Austria), Université Côte d'Azur (France) und Technical University of Košice (Slovakia) are expected to attend the bootcamp, accompanied by coaches and experts. At the heart of the event are the challenge pitches, where the teams will present their solutions.

Over the past months, the participants have worked in international teams on practice-oriented challenges set by companies, focusing on the use of AI and digital technologies. At the bootcamp, the students will present their results as the project concludes.

A pre-pitch training will support the students in sharpening their presentation skills and delivering their results convincingly. In this way, the bootcamp not only serves as a platform for innovative ideas, but also as a hands-on learning environment in which young talents can demonstrate their skills in an international setting. 

The paper “The Open Prison of the Big Data Revolution: False Consciousness, Faustian Bargains, and Digital Entrapment” written by Ojelanki Ngwenyama, Frantz Rowe, Stefan Klein (long-time member of our department and recent retiree), and Helle Zinner Henriksen, was awarded the ISR Best Paper Award 2025. The paper addresses the fact that, while some scholars warn of the social harms caused by Big Data practices, there is a little critical social theory (CST) Information Systems research has been conducted into the structures and dynamics that drive these practices.

In this research, the authors examine how tech firms strategically shape social practices and platform design to encourage individuals to accept datafication and data assetization. While these strategies create positive network effects for companies, they often produce negative outcomes for individuals – including privacy violations, economic loss, and reduced freedom.

Drawing on the work of Heidegger and Marcuse, the paper introduces concepts such as false consciousness, digital entrapment, and Faustian bargains to explain how people become socially conditioned into a digital habitus and identify as homo digitalis, seeing all their social and economic relations as digital. The study uses the case of Microsoft Viva to illustrate how even everyday digital tools can shape reality and tether users to platforms, creating what the authors call an open prison.

The paper offers both a critique of the Big Data paradigm and a research agenda aimed at understanding and addressing the social consequences of these practices. It encourages further research into solutions that can reduce digital entrapment and protect freedom, privacy, and individual agency in the digital age.

The full paper can be found here.

The European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) promises to significantly enhance the convenience and security of end-users' identity-related online activities, such as registration, log-in to a service or application, or the bank account opening process, by using cryptographic key pairs and digitally signed documents (attestations of attributes). However, while the EUDI Wallet is marketed as a privacy-centric solution and indeed designed to enhance privacy substantially compared to today's prevailing approaches to digital identity management, such as "log-in with Google", there is still room for improvement.

The paper “The impact of zero-knowledge proofs on data minimization compliance of digital identity wallets” is a collaboration between the researchers Emanuela Podda (Università degli Studi di Milano), Pol Hölzmer, Alexandre Amard and Gilbert Fridgen (University of Luxembourg), and Johannes Sedlmeir (University of Münster). It describes some remaining shortcomings regarding privacy in the current cryptographic formats used for attestations of attributes in the EUDI Wallet and argues that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)'s mandate for data minimization should be continuously re-evaluated given the fast progress in privacy-enhancing technologies, particularly zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) (see, e.g., the work by Google researchers Abhi Shelat and Matto Frigo on anonymous credentials from ECDSA). ZKPs allow for maintaining the verifiability of the integrity, authenticity, and validity of digital identity-related documents while reducing the amount of information revealed to the relying party to what can formally be considered the bare minimum.

The researchers hope their findings encourage decision-makers working on the EUDI wallet to maintain the high initial ambitions regarding privacy, as specified by the regulation which literally mandates unlinkability, after the first rollout of the EUDI wallet in late 2026. However, it is highly unlikely that ZKPs will be incorporated at this stage, as their practical implementation is still very complex and lacks standardization and audits by national and international certification bodies.

The full paper can be found here.

The Interdisciplinary Center for Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Disease Dynamics (IMMIDD) at the University of Münster recently held its first symposium on July 10, 2025, entitled, “From Chaos to Cohesion – The Future of Infectious Disease Modeling.”

Drawing over 100 participants from across the globe, the event brought together leading experts in epidemiology, mathematics, economics, and public health to examine how advanced modeling – enhanced by powerful information systems – can support effective decision-making in the face of global health challenges.

Topics ranged from breakthroughs in data-driven forecasting and novel interdisciplinary collaborations to the integration of economic and technological perspectives in public health strategies. One clear conclusion emerged: the combination of mathematical modeling and information systems is vital for developing robust, actionable tools for epidemic forecasting and preparedness.

IMMIDD brings together expertise from various institutes at the University of Münster: the Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, the Institute of Virology, the Institute for Analysis and Numerics, the Institute for Geoinformatics, the Department of Information Systems, and the Institute of Theoretical Physics. The Department of Information Systems, represented by Prof. Bernd Hellingrath and his group, enriched the symposium with their expertise in epidemic modeling and decision-support systems, contributing to shaping the future of pandemic response.

Further information on the IMMIDD can be found here.

It is the largest AI acquisition in Europe to date and a strong sign of AI expertise in Germany: The start-up Cognigy, a leading CX AI platform, has announced a definitive agreement to be acquired by Nasdaq-listed NiCE for almost $1 billion. A graduate of the University of Münster is behind this success.

Philipp Heltewig, CEO and co-founder of Cognigy, studied Information Systems (MSc) at the University of Münster from 2002 to 2007 and spent a year abroad at our ERCIS Partner, the QUT in Brisbane Australia.

In 2016, together with Sascha Poggemann and Benjamin Mayr, he founded Cognigy, one of Europe’s leading providers of voice and chatbot solutions for customer service. The company has developed a platform that enables enterprises to deploy AI agents that think, adapt, and perform simple tasks. These agents operate across multiple channels, support over 100 languages, and can be seamlessly integrated into existing systems – setting Cognigy apart from traditional chatbots.

“This outstanding entrepreneurial success highlights the great potential of Information Systems in Münster.”, says Prof. Jan vom Brocke, Director of the Department of Information Systems: “Our students receive a first-class education in Münster that prepares them for global careers and groundbreaking innovations. We will further expand this potential in the future, for example through the ERCIS Flow Factory, and actively promote entrepreneurial ventures even more strongly.”

The official press release from NiCE is available here.

At the beginning of June, several members of our department took part in this year's DESRIST – International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology. For three days, the focus was on exciting workshops, inspiring paper sessions and intensive exchange within the international research community.

Under the theme “Contextual Design Science Research: Local Solutions for Global Challenges“ participants discussed how digital technologies can be used to address global challenges, always taking local contexts and requirements into account. Our department was also represented with several contributions in the sessions.

A special highlight was the ceremonial announcement of the venue for DESRIST 2026 – here in Münster, under the direction of Prof. Jan vom Brocke. Under the theme “Design for Better Futures: Beyond the Science of the Artificial” we will collectively explore how design can contribute to living and sustainable futures beyond the purely artificial. This theme is closely aligned with our department's research focus, which is exemplified by projects such as our Flow Factory, where we design responsible AI innovations in practice.

We are very much looking forward to hosting the international design science community and actively shaping the discourse on locally anchored digital innovations!

Further information on DESRIST 2026 can be found here.

New team members regularly start at our department – whether as resarch assistants, postdocs, or professors. Over the past few months, we’ve welcomed several new faces:

Daria Stumkat has been a Research Assistant at the Chair for Digital Innovation and the Public Sector and part of the Flow Factory since May. She completed both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Information Systems at the University of Münster. Her research interests lie at the intersection of sustainability, AI, and strategy.

Celine Poppe also began her doctoral studies in May at the Chair for Digital Innovation and the Public Sector. She holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Public Administration and is now part of the research project “Public Sector Innovation and eGovernance”.

Timo Strohmann joined the Chair for Information Systems and Business Process Management and the Flow Factory as a Postdoc in May. His work focuses on design-oriented research and the collaboration between humans and AI.

Fumi Kurihara has been a Postdoc at the Chair for Information Systems and Business Process Management and the Flow Factory since June. She studied International Liberal Studies (BA) and International Affairs (MA), and completed her PhD in Management at the University of St. Gallen.

Tobias Zimmermann and Helene Müller began their doctoral studies in July at the Chair for Information Systems and Business Process Management and the Flow Factory. Both earned their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Information Systems at the University of Münster.

We warmly welcome all new colleagues and look forward to working together!