Institute of Social Informatics and Technological Innovations
Institute of Social Informatics and Technological Innovations(ISITI), formerly known as the Centre of Excellence for Rural Informatics (CoERI) was established in April 2011 at the centre of University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) in Kota Samarahan. The Centre was established given the success of our flagship bridging-the-digital-divide pilot project, eBario. A key focus of ISITI is to bridge the technology-people’s gap; in particular, encompassing technological innovations for indigenous communities.Community and Institute- We should prioritize the needs of the community and the Institute above all else, as our main purpose for being a part of ISITI is to serve the community.Trust- As a relationship based on trust is the key to our success and sustainability, we must continue to maintain our close ties with the community and build our existing networks. Quality- The quality of our work reflects on the image of the Institute therefore we should always aim for the highest levels of excellence in all that we do.
Vision
To be a leading (an internationally acknowledged) research institute that transforms social communities towards a knowledge-based society by leveraging on ICT innovation.
Mission
To generate, disseminate, apply and preserve knowledge through an innovative and multidisciplinary approach to empower society to sustainably address their developmental needs in a wider social and economic contexts.
Functions
The Institute of Social Informatics and Technological Innovations (ISITI) began its operation in April 2011, and was upgraded from the Centre of Excellence for Rural Informatics (CoERI); the Centre was established given the success of our flagship bridging-the-digital-divide pilot project, eBario. A key focus of ISITI is to bridge the technology-people’s gap; in particular, encompassing technological innovations for indigenous communities.
Our Strengths
Multi-Disciplinary Research Conducted
ISITI brings together more than 30 researchers from different Faculties and Centres in UNIMAS; from the social sciences, to ICTs and engineering.
Rapport with Indigenous Communities
All our sites' population comprise of indigenous communities such as the Kelabit, Penan, Lun Bawang, Dusun, Bajau, Bidayuh, Semai and Temiar ethnic groups. The rapport provides the opportunity to work with these communities on new projects, which benefits both researchers and the communities involved.
Bridging the Theory-Practice Gap
All our researchers not only conduct research, but also go down to the ground to study, design, implement and evaluate programmes at the community level.
