AoIR2024 Industry
Sheffield, UK
The #AoIR2024 conference was held Sheffield, UK. It was be hosted by the University of Sheffield (TUoS) and Sheffield Hallam University (SHU).
30 October – 2 November 2024 • Sheffield, UK
About the event
photo credit Marketing Sheffield
The conference was held on the campus of the University of Sheffield, nestled within the vibrant, green, modern city of Sheffield. The campus is accessible via frequent bus and tram routes to other parts of the City, and is a 25 minute walk (or 10 minute bus/tram journey) from Sheffield Railway Station, which provides regular links to other major UK cities like London and Manchester, each of which has major international airports. The train ride from Sheffield to London St. Pancras International is approximately 2 hours, where folks can change to services to London Heathrow and London Gatwick. The journey from Sheffield Railway Station to Manchester Airport takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.
photo credit Marketing Sheffield
Sheffield is known as the Outdoor City, as a third of the City is taken up by green space, including the Peak District National Park. Sheffield is also known for being one of the UK’s more affordable cities, in addition to being famously friendly. The City’s top attractions include the beautiful Botanical Gardens, the Kelham Island Museum, and its music and cultural scene, bars, and restaurants, along with frequent bus links out to the Peak District National Park. Here, folks can visit Chatsworth House in Bakewell, enjoy the breathtaking views from Stanage or Bamford Edge, walk the Monsal Trail (among many, many others), or take a trip into the caves, including the famous Devil’s Arse in Castleton.
About the hosts
The University of Sheffield (TUoS) is a public research University and belongs to the UK’s Russell Group of Universities. The University grew out of the Sheffield Medical School (founded in 1828), Firth College (1879) and the Sheffield Technical School (1884). These three institutions came together in 1897 to form the University College of Sheffield, which in turn became the University of Sheffield in 1905. It comprises five Faculties, with (some of) your AoIR2024 organisers belonging to the Faculty of Social Sciences. This Faculty also houses various research centres like the Digital Society Network (DSN), directed by Dr. Tim Highfield, and with the ESRC Digital Good Network (DGN), co-directed by Professor Helen Kennedy and Dr. Ros Williams.
Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) is also a public research University and the current 14th largest University in the UK. 
SHU was founded in 1843 as the Sheffield School of Design and is now divided into five Colleges, including the College of Social Sciences and Arts, to which some of the AoIR2024 organising committee belong. SHU also houses various research centres and institutes, like the Culture and Creativity Research Institute (CCRI). SHU has earned a reputation for widening participation among its student body; for example, 53% of SHU students are the first in their family to attend University. SHU was named University of the Year 2022 at the Educate North, and at the Social Mobility Awards, and the Times Higher Outstanding Entrepreneurial University 2021.
