SMIT is organised into several research units studying media, data and digital innovation in society.

The Data, Governance and Communities unit aims to understand citizen- and organization-level opportunities and challenges presented by the increased use of data in the urban context along the development path to smart cities and communities, with research tracks on the digital transformation of the public sector, personal data governance and trust in data sharing.

The Ethics by coDesign in Digital Innovation unit investigates how values, ethics, societal reflection and legal requirements can be embedded in the design, deployment and governance of data-driven and AI innovations, working across domains such as health and care, government services and work environments, and translating research into usable tools and guidance through an associated knowledge centre.

The Digital Equity, Engagement and Literacies unit conducts research on participation and citizenship in the digital age, focusing on digital equity, digital and media literacies, and democratic citizen participation, applying participatory methods such as co-creation and citizen science.

The Media Economics and Policy unit analyzes the economic and cultural viability of content production, aggregation and consumption, studying how digitalization, internationalization and platformisation affect media business models and how governments sustain local media ecosystems, with expertise in European media policy and regulation.

The MUX unit examines how innovations and digital technologies can fulfill user needs while generating economic value, conducting user, market and business modeling research across the media landscape as well as retail and consumer service marketing.

The News, Users, Society and Engagement unit focuses on journalism, public service media and participatory culture, examining the tension between the beneficial and detrimental role media play in society, including media repertoires, disinformation and polarisation, and media innovation and collaboration.