The issues of crisis and disaster management become more and more pressing, particularly in the face of escalating climate change impacts as the recent severe flooding in Germany have shown. The Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (ISCRAM) Association is dedicated to pioneering research and innovative applications in the area of information systems supporting crisis and disaster management initiatives. An annual hallmark of this endeavor is the global ISCRAM conference. This year, the 21st ISCRAM conference was hosted in Münster from May 26th to May 29th, 2024, marking the first time the event has been held in North Rhine-Westphalia. The participants were warmly welcomed by the NRW Minister of Interior Herbert Reul, University Rector Prof. Dr. Johannes Wessels, and the Conference Chairs Berthold Penkert from the State Fire Service Institute NRW (IdF) and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernd Hellingrath from the ERCIS Competence Center for Crisis Management (ERCIS C³M).

The ISCRAM 2024 conference uniquely emphasized the synergy between academic research and practical application under the theme 'Embracing the Crisis Management Lifecycle'. The event introduced a new approach to integrating academic and practical perspectives, reflected in the joint organization through ERCIS C³M from the academic and the IdF from the practical side. In addition to featuring academic paper presentations, this year’s edition of the conference was specifically tailored to engage practitioners and responders, encouraging them to share their experiences, practical insights, and innovative solutions throughout the conference. As Prof. Hellingrath from the ERCIS C³M highlighted: “The joint organization of the ISCRAM conference from the University of Münster and the State Fire Service Institute NRW created a unique opportunity to bring practitioners and researchers together. Researchers learned profoundly about the pressing needs of those active in crisis management and the practitioners identified research results usable for their work. Furthermore, new collaborations were initiated continuing the conference idea of a pracademic approach.”

The four keynotes of the conference further underscored this focus featuring an equal representation of academic and practitioner keynote speakers. They addressed integrative topics such as community-centered design of collaborative systems and simulations of human behavior in crisis situations, showcasing a seamless blend of theoretical insights and practitioner realities. As Prof. Haselkorn from the University of Washington pointed out, the close collaboration of practitioners and researchers is pivotal to realize information systems being successfully applied in the context of crisis management. The culminating panel discussion explored the effectiveness of ISCRAM 2024’s pracademic approach, where participants outlined a roadmap for future conferences to continue blending academic rigor with hands-on expertise.

Considering the numbers, ISCRAM 2024 attracted an impressive assembly of over 200 experts from more than 25 countries, spanning from Cuenca in Ecuador to Shenzhen in China to Wellington in New Zealand. The participants were welcomed by Mayor Markus Lewe at the historic Dominikanerkirche, where he reinforced the relevancy of the research in face of the multiple crisis the world experiences currently. Apart from the rich day-time schedule, the conference also featured networking events, offering participants the opportunity to connect and reflect on the day's learnings. Highlights included the festive award ceremonies for the best papers, and the visit at the State Fire Service Institute NRW (IdF) training facilities, where attendees gained firsthand experience of the rigorous training routines that first responders undergo.