Department of Computer and Information Science (IDA)

The Department of Computer and Information Science is one of the largest departments in northern Europe in its field. Research activity at IDA covers artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, software and computer systems, and data science. 

The department is a dynamic and growing environment for research and education with around 300 employees. The activity covers a wide range of areas, from core computer science to applications of science. It is oriented towards both the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

The research activity at IDA is mainly performed within four major areas, each divided into a number of subareas:

  • Artificial intelligence (AI) with the subareas of autonomous systems and robotics, knowledge representation and reasoning, ontologies and semantic web, automated planning, applied machine learning, multi-agent systems, natural language processing, and theoretical foundations of AI.
  • Cognition, interaction and design with the subareas of cognitive science, cognitive systems engineering, interaction design, service design, public safety and security, decision support, human factors, and social robotics.
  • Software and computer systems with the subareas of software engineering, embedded and cyberphysical systems, real-time systems, cybersecurity and resilient systems, networks and distributed systems, multimedia systems, formal methods, compilers and programming language, and parallel and high performance computing.
  • Data science with the subareas of machine learning methodology, statistics, database technology, and data analytics.

The broad research base of the department directly enriches the undergraduate and graduate education. The department gives courses within most engineering programmes, several Master programmes, as well as the programmes for innovative programming, cognitive science and statistics.

IDA also offers doctoral education in computer science, design, cognitive science and statistics. Currently, around 90 postgraduate students are active in the department’s PhD programmes.

The department was founded in 1983, but its roots can be traced to the early seventies. It is organised in six divisions.

Calendar

Events

News at IDA

10 September 2025

Centres of Excellence strengthen LiU’s research

The investment in four prominent research environments, Centres of Excellence, will ensure long-term development, improved quality and deeper collaboration for LiU.

Photo of male professor, suit.

13 August 2025

Mutual reinforcement of ethics and trust in AI

LiU hosted the seminar "Mutual Reinforcement of Ethics and Trust in AI" as part of the TrustLLM project. The event gathered participants from academia, industry, and the public sector.

25 June 2025

First researchers in the new Fenomenmagasinet

When the science centre Fenomenmagasinet opens its new premises in the Valla leisure area, it also opens the possibility of closer collaboration with LiU. Researchers Aseel and Erik Berglund will be among the first to move in.

Job vacancies at IDA

Job Published To Employment Type External ID City Institution Occupational Area Position URL
Professor in Environmental Change 2025-10-01 Permanent employment LiU-2025-01816 Linkoping TEMA - Department of Thematic Studies Teachers and Scientists https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27140
WISE Fellow: Assistant professor in Materials Science with focus on Materials for Quantum Technologies 2025-10-06 Time limited employment (temporary) LiU-2025-02723 Linkoping IFM - Department of Physics, Biology and Chemistry Teachers and Scientists https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27157
Postdoc in Computational Social Science 2025-10-31 Time limited employment (temporary) IEI-2025-00395 Linkoping IEI - Department of Management and Engineering Teachers and Scientists https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27207
Postdoc in Computational Social Science 2025-10-31 Time limited employment (temporary) IDA-2025-00241 Linkoping IDA - Department of Computer and Information Science Teachers and Scientists https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27295
PhD student in computer science (or related area) with focus on ontology interaction for circular economy 2025-09-30 Time limited employment (temporary) IDA-2025-00220 Linkoping IDA - Department of Computer and Information Science PhD students https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27309
PhD student in language and culture 2025-10-13 Time limited employment (temporary) IKOS-2025-00240 Linkoping IKOS - Department of Culture and Society PhD students https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27415
PhD student in behavioural evolution 2025-09-24 Time limited employment (temporary) IFM-2025-00369 Linkoping IFM - Department of Physics, Biology and Chemistry PhD students https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27417
PhD student in Generative AI and Machine Learning 2025-09-30 Time limited employment (temporary) IDA-2025-00257 Linkoping IDA - Department of Computer and Information Science PhD students https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27426
Postdoc in DNA repair at BKV 2025-09-22 Time limited employment (temporary) BKV-2025-00611 Linkoping BKV - Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Teachers and Scientists https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27432
Postdoc in Telomere biology at BKV 2025-09-22 Time limited employment (temporary) BKV-2025-00612 Linkoping BKV - Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Teachers and Scientists https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27448
PhD in Materials Science (Photocatalytic doping of organic semiconductor) in the EU Training Network FADOS 2025-09-30 Time limited employment (temporary) LiU-2025-03941 Norrkoping ITN - Department of Science and Technology PhD students https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27463
PhD student in Medical Science 2025-09-30 Time limited employment (temporary) BKV-2025-00626 Linkoping BKV - Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences PhD students https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27471
Principal Research Engineer in Pediatrics at BKV 2025-09-24 Time limited employment (temporary) BKV-2025-00634 Linkoping BKV - Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Technical and Administrative personnel https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27482
Principal research engineer in immunology at BKV 2025-09-24 Time limited employment (temporary) BKV-2025-00635 Linkoping BKV - Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Technical and Administrative personnel https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27487
PhD student in Trustworthy Machine Learning at SaS 2025-10-24 Time limited employment (temporary) IDA-2025-00271 Linkoping IDA - Department of Computer and Information Science PhD students https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27499
Assistant Professor in Data-driven precision medicine and diagnostics 2025-11-15 Permanent employment LiU-2025-03318 Linkoping BKV - Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Teachers and Scientists https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27513
Teaching assistants within Machine learning 2025-10-02 Extrajob IDA-2025-00277 Linkoping IDA - Department of Computer and Information Science Student https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27536
PhD in electronic-neurohybrid for bioelectronics 2025-10-01 Time limited employment (temporary) LiU-2025-04394 Norrkoping ITN - Department of Science and Technology PhD students https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27543
PhD student in Environmental Science 2025-10-09 Time limited employment (temporary) TEMA-2025-00225 Linkoping TEMA - Department of Thematic Studies PhD students https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27566
Professor in Medical Education 2025-10-14 Permanent employment LiU-2025-02984 Linkoping HMV - Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences Teachers and Scientists https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27568
Postdoc in Optimization 2025-10-09 Time limited employment (temporary) MAI-2025-00097 Linkoping MAI - Department of Mathematics Teachers and Scientists https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27572
PhD student in Materials Science 2025-10-17 Time limited employment (temporary) IFM-2025-00416 Linkoping IFM - Department of Physics, Biology and Chemistry PhD students https://liu.se/en/work-at-liu/vacancies/27590

Research at IDA

Other large industrial collaborations and national strategic research areas 

More projects at IDA and centra/laboratories for collaboration 

Computer room with students

Cybersecurity lab at LiU

The cybersecurity lab offers facilities that are tailored for teaching cybersecurity in undergraduate and professional training programs.

AI written on blue background.

AI literacy in Swedish Teacher Education

This project focuses on AI literacy in Swedish teacher education, mainly what AI literacy in Swedish teacher education means in terms of knowledge and competences needed for schoolteachers future working lives.

A robot.

The joy in reading – a co-design project around students’ interaction with social robots

A study investigating the ways in which artificial intelligence (AI) can contribute to students' reading. It examines how key reading activities and situations in school can be designed for interaction between a social robot and 10-year-old students.

Proud partner of Digital4Business banner

Digital4Business

Digital4Business is a Joint Professional Master's Degree in Advanced Digital Technologies. Linköping University contributes to the project with its broad and deep expertise in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

Doctoral studies

Doctoral (PhD) studies at the Department of Computer and Information Science

Doctoral studies at the Department of Computer and Information Science (IDA) are organised to cross traditional subject boundaries, and is common to the whole department.

What is it like to be a PhD student at IDA?

Emma with VR headset on her head

New doctor in Cognitive Science: Emma Mainza Chilufya

On March 28, Emma Mainza Chilufya at the Department of Computer and Information Science (IDA) successfully defended her thesis about human-computer interaction. "Being a PhD student at IDA has been eye-opening and inspiring", she says.

Dominik Drexler headshot

New doctor in Computer Science: Dominik Drexler

On March 24, Dominik Drexler at the Dept of Computer and Information Science successfully defended his thesis about integrating learning and AI planning. "Pursuing a PhD at IDA has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life", he says.

Mina Niknafs shows her printed thesis in the lecture hall.

New doctor in Computer Science: Mina Niknafs

On March 3, Mina Niknafs at the Dept of Computer and Information Science defended her thesis on resource management. "Pursuing a PhD at IDA is an enriching experience that combines academic freedom with a supportive research culture", she says.

Educational programmes involving IDA

The department gives courses within most engineering programmes, the Bachelor's programmes in Information Systems Analysis, Innovative Programming, Cognitive Science, and Statistics and Data Analysis, and several Master's programmes.

For more information on the programmes in Swedish that the department gives courses within, please visit Institutionen för datavetenskap (utbildningsprogram).

Master's programmes

Contact us

Student Office at IDA

Contact: expedition@ida.liu.se

Visiting address: Room 3F:477B, Building E, Entrance 27/29, Floor 3, Campus Valla

Opening hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays between 12.15 and 13.00.

Registrar at IDA

Contact: registrator@ida.liu.se

Doctoral education at IDA

Contact: Anne Moe, Coordinator

E-mail: anne.moe@liu.se

Phone: +46 13 28 14 60

Management

All staff at IDA

Address

Postal Address

Linköping University
Department of Computer and Information Science
581 83 Linköping
Sweden

Visiting Address

Building B, entrance 25 - 29
Building E, entrance 27C - 29C
Mäster Mattias väg, Campus Valla

Awards

Image of the award certificate

Best research paper award for foundational work on knowledge graph construction

Olaf Hartig, Dept of Computer and Information Science, has won the Best Research Paper Award at the ESWC 2025 conference, which is one of the top conferences on knowledge graphs and semantic web technologies, a subfield of artificial intelligence.

Three men standing up, the one in the middle is holding up a diploma

Dominik Drexler awarded the Lawson Scholarship for 2024

Dominik Drexler, who recently received his PhD at the Department of Computer and Information Science, is awarded the Lawson Scholarship for excellent achievements in internationalisation, international contacts and international exchange at IDA.

Innovative idea for more effective cancer treatments rewarded

Lisa Menacher has been awarded the 2024 Christer Gilén Scholarship in statistics and machine learning for her master’s thesis. She utilised machine learning in an effort to make the selection of cancer treatments more effective.

Autumn image, sigh E-building

Award winners at IDA in 2023

We are proud to present awards received by students, teachers and researchers at the Department of Computer and Information Science, IDA, Linköping University.

More about IDA and about working at IDA

More AI initiatives

Stay updated