Nothing like the Web has ever happened in all of human history. The scale of its impact and the rate of its adoption are unparalleled. This is a great opportunity as well as an obligation. If we are to ensure the Web benefits the human race we must first do our best to understand it.
The Web is the largest human information construct in history. The Web is transforming society. In order to understand what the Web is, engineer its future and ensure its social benefit we need a new interdisciplinary field that we call Web Science.
The largest human information construct in history. The Web is transforming society.
We have a unique opportunity and obligation to understand what the Web is,engineer its future and ensure its social benefit.

A new international network announced yesterday (Monday 26 April 2010) creates an alliance of world-class research laboratories to support the Web Science research and education programme.

The Web Science Trust Network of Laboratories (WSTNet) combines some of the world’s leading academic researchers in Web Science, with new academic programmes that will enhance the already growing influence of Web Science.

WSTNet will be managed by the Web Science Trust, which brings together academics, business leaders, entrepreneurs and policy-makers from around the world with the goal of fostering multidisciplinary research to study the World Wide Web and describe the issues and challenges that will shape its future use and design.

Through a number of specific agreements and commitments with the Web Science Trust, the member Labs will provide valuable support for the ongoing development of Web Science.

The full list of Founding WSTNet Labs is at webscience.org

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has launched the nation’s first undergraduate degree program devoted to the emerging interdisciplinary field of Web Science. The new academic major expands the current Information Technology degree program to create both a bachelor’s degree, and a master’s concentration, in “Information Technology and Web Science.” The students in the interdisciplinary degree program will investigate issues on the Web related to security, trust, privacy, content value, and the development of the Web of the future…. (read more).

Students graduating on May 29, 2010, will be the first students to receive the new degrees.

Web Science Trust People: Sir Tim Berners Lee, Prof. Nigel Shadbolt

The URI for the Web Science Trust is: http://webscience.org/WST