Scholarship Overview
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Overview
The UNESCO-ENS Call for Papers on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence offers recent PhD graduates a platform to present cutting-edge research at a prestigious academic event in Paris. Co-hosted by UNESCO and the AI and Society Institute at École normale supérieure (ENS-PSL), this initiative advances the UNESCO 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence by connecting emerging scholars with established researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.
Selected authors will present their work at a one-day event on 10 December 2026, with proceedings published afterward. One author receives travel support to attend in person.
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Host Institutions
Primary hosts:
- UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)
- AI and Society Institute at École normale supérieure (ENS-PSL), Paris, France
The selection committee comprises laureates and jury members of the UNESCO Beruniy Prize for Scientific Research on the Ethics of AI.
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Eligibility Requirements
This call targets early-career researchers with specific criteria:
- PhD completion: Within the past 5 years of the application deadline
- Research focus: Must address ethics of artificial intelligence
- Discipline: Open to all relevant disciplines—interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral perspectives strongly encouraged
- Geography: Open to all regions, including Africa and SADC countries
- Co-authors: Permitted if both authors meet the PhD timeline requirement
For Zimbabwean and SADC applicants: Your regional perspective on AI ethics—particularly regarding governance, social inclusion, or sustainable development—is explicitly welcomed. The call specifically mentions interest in underrepresented groups and geographic diversity.
Research Topics
Submissions may address any of the following areas:
- Multistakeholder and adaptive governance
- Fairness, accountability, and transparency (FAT)
- Human rights and AI
- AI ethics literacy and public awareness
- Youth, mental health, and health ethics
- Social inclusion and vulnerable/underrepresented groups
- Culture and knowledge systems
- Environment, sustainability, and climate action
- Gender equality
- AI ethics in public policy, research, and innovation
- AI ethics and Sustainable Development Goals
- AI ethics in STEM and basic sciences
- AI ethics and frontier technologies
What the Opportunity Provides
For selected authors:
- Presentation slot at the 10 December 2026 academic event in Paris
- Expert feedback from established researchers and policymakers
- Publication in official proceedings
- Opportunity to adapt research for the Tribune of the Conseil de l’intelligence artificielle et du numérique (CIANum)
- Travel support: One selected author receives funded travel to Paris
Note: The travel support is limited to one author; co-authors must self-fund if both wish to attend. General event attendance is open to all with registration via UNESCO’s website.
Application Components
Extended abstract (800–1,000 words, excluding references):
- Title of proposed paper
- Research question and relevance to the call
- Conceptual or theoretical framework
- Methodology (where applicable)
- Principal findings or argument
- Contribution to AI ethics research
- 3–5 keywords
Separate author information page:
- Full name
- Institutional affiliation
- Country
- Email address
- PhD title, institution, and year of completion
- Short biography (maximum 150 words)
Formatting requirements:
- Language: English only
- Format: Word or PDF
- Anonymization: Extended abstract must NOT contain author name or identifying information
Application Process
- Prepare anonymized extended abstract following word count and content requirements
- Prepare separate author information page with full biographical details
- Complete the online submission form (link provided on UNESCO’s official call page)
- Upload documents in specified formats
- Submit before deadline
Selection Timeline
| Deadline for proposals | 30 October 2026 |
| Notification of selected authors | 15 November 2026 |
| Full paper submission | 1 December 2026 |
| Academic event in Paris | 10 December 2026 |
Post-Event Outcomes
Selected authors benefit from multiple dissemination channels:
- Proceedings: UNESCO and ENS will publish official proceedings combining contributions and key discussions
- Policy outreach: Invitation to adapt research for CIANum’s Tribune, reaching public and policy audiences
- Network building: Connections with Beruniy Prize laureates, jury members, and international researchers
Strategic Value for African Researchers
This call explicitly values perspectives from underrepresented regions. For Zimbabwean and SADC scholars, relevant angles include:
- AI governance in resource-constrained contexts
- Indigenous knowledge systems and AI ethics
- Digital inclusion and infrastructure gaps
- AI’s impact on informal economies
- Climate adaptation and AI in agriculture
The interdisciplinary emphasis means applicants from law, philosophy, computer science, development studies, public health, and related fields are all competitive.
Official scholarship page: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/call-papers-advancing-research-ethics-artificial-intelligence
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