As the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, new transformation triggers1 are emerging – de facto at the same time – and are having a massive and presumably lasting impact on our everyday lives. Once again, digitization in business, science, education, private networks and public institutions is of particular importance. However, the focus of the interpretation of digitally based approaches is changing. For example, the focus is now on inclusive practices, sustainability and AI-based support systems, hybridity, and a fundamentally changing understanding of education. If we look around our world, we see that 2022 is nothing like the year the 2020 pandemic began. We already know how quickly our lives and work have been transformed into a hybrid socio-technical reality based on digital communication and collaboration – and are amazed that the sometimes desired ‘role backwards’ is stuck in the approach. In its 25th year, the GeNeMe community, which is in itself as alerte as it is actionoriented, sees itself challenged to deal competently with this dynamic. The goal is to discuss the perspectives from research, education and operational application, which are represented here in an integrated way, and to jointly derive viable explanations,
but also intervention approaches, and to present them to the interested public. The 2022 anniversary conference will also be about infrastructures (in education), work organization and support systems, public spaces with online presence, and situated collaboration, not only in industry. More than ever, we are aware of the value of diversity and are beginning to recognize the helpful function of digitality in dealing with it: it is precisely with digital transformation that barriers can be overcome.