The inaugural ceremony of the 17th International Conference on Webometrics, Informetrics and Scientometrics (WIS) and the 22nd COLLNET Meeting was held at the Manzur Elahi Auditorium, East West University, Aftabnagar, Dhaka on 08 December 2023. This significant conference was a collaborative effort organized by COLLNET in association with Society for Library Professionals (SLP) and Asian Community, Special Libraries Association (SLA) and hosted by Dr. S. R. Lasker Library, East West University. COLLNET has its a glorious journey of twenty-one years. It organizes its conference in different parts of the world; last year, it was held in Bangkok, Thailand.
The inaugural ceremony featured a welcome speech by Professor Shams Rahman, Honorable Vice Chancellor, East West University, who extended a warm welcome to the distinguished speakers and participants, expressing hope for the conference to yield significant benefits for society, the country, and the world at large. He said that “it is a moment to reflect on the critical role that Webometrics, Informetrics, and Scientometrics play in our ever-evolving world of information and knowledge management. These fields are not just academic disciplines; they are vital tools that help us navigate and make sense of the vast expanse of digital information that shapes our modern society”.
The event was graced by the presence of Syed Manzur Elahi, Honorable Chairperson, Board of Trustees, East West University and Chairman, Apex Group and Former Adviser, Caretaker Government as the Chief Guest. He said, “Webometrics, Informetrics, and Scientometrics are always important fields in understanding and assessing the impact and dynamics of knowledge, research, and information dissemination in the digital age. This conference will provide valuable platform for academics, librarians, information technology professionals, and policymakers advancing research and activities in these areas”.
Dr. Bernd Markscheffel, Academic Council (Senior Researcher), Department of Information and Knowledge Management, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany was present as the Special Guest.
The keynote speech was delivered by Prof. Jean-Charles Lamirel, Professor, Dalian University of Technology, China and the University of Strasbourg, France, focusing on the analysis of Dr. Hildrun Kretschmer's research work and the influences in the scientometrics field.
Before the inaugural ceremony, two virtual technical sessions were held, featuring a keynote speech by Professor Dr. Wolfgang Glaenzel from KU Leuven, Belgium, and presentations of eleven contributed papers. Around 85 peer-reviewed conference papers, including two keynote speeches from ten different nations, will be presented in person the next day.
The event ended with a vote of thanks by the Conference Chair Dr. Dilara Begum, Associate Professor and Chairperson, Department of Information Studies, and Librarian (In-Charge), East West University. She invited all attendees to join tomorrow’s technical sessions.
She also mentioned that the importance of such gatherings providing a vital platform for knowledge managers, policymakers, academicians, and civil society think tanks to come together. This union fosters the sharing of expertise and groundbreaking ideas, which is essential for enhancing our comprehension and evaluation of the impact and evolution of knowledge, research, and information distribution in today's digital era. The inaugural program was followed by a cultural event performed by the East West University Club for Performing Arts. The conference will continue until 10 December 2023.