The Department of Network and Data Science at the Central European University carries out research in network science, with a special focus on the foundations and applications of network science to practical data-driven problems. The Department organizes a BA/BSc in Data Science and Society as well as hosts 1- and 2-year MS programs in Social Data Science and a PhD Program and various Advanced Certificate Programs for CEU master's and/or doctoral students.

Data science tools and the network science approach offer a unique perspective to tackle complex problems, impenetrable to linear-proportional thinking. Building on decades of development of fundamental understanding of networks, the modern data deluge has opened up unprecedented opportunities to study and understand the structure and function of social, economic, political and information systems. The concept of networks has become indispensable in the social, information, biological, and physical sciences. Data-driven network science aims at explaining complex phenomena at larger scales emerging from simple principles of network link formation. A key element of the mission of the Department is to work across disciplines to bring network and data science tools to many fields of the social sciences, and related areas.

The Department of Network and Data Science translates these ideas into research projects - our faculty have won several major grants, from European Union and US funding agencies. In 2023, the Department of Network and Data Science has hosted NetSci2023, the flagship conference and school of the Network Science Society, bringing to Vienna almost 900 researchers working on complex networks.