Application Deadline: 30 October 2026
Applications are now open for the 2026 UNESCO-ENS-PSL Advancing Research on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. UNESCO and the AI and Society Institute at École normale supérieure (ENS-PSL), Paris, launch a call for papers inviting recent PhD graduates (within five years of graduation) to submit proposals presenting research on the ethics of artificial intelligence.
Authors of selected proposals will have the opportunity to present their research at a one-day academic event hosted by ENS in Paris on 10 December 2026. The event will bring together emerging scholars, established researchers and representatives of academic institutions for thematic discussions and expert feedback.
Research topics
Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following areas:
- Multistakeholder and adaptive governance and collaboration;
- Fairness, accountability and transparency;
- Human rights and AI;
- Awareness and AI ethics literacy;
- Youth / mental health / health and ethics of AI
- Social inclusion;
- Culture and knowledge systems;
- Environment, sustainability and climate action;
- Gender equality;
- Vulnerable or underrepresented groups;
- Ethical dimensions of AI in public policy, research and innovation;
- AI ethics and the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals;
- Ethics of AI and STEM and basic sciences; and
- Ethics of AI and frontier technologies.
Eligibility Requirements
- The call is open to researchers who have completed a PhD within the past 5 years and whose work addresses issues related to the ethics of artificial intelligence.
- Applications are welcomed from all relevant disciplines and geographic regions. Interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral perspectives are particularly encouraged.
- Theoretical, empirical, comparative, interdisciplinary and practice-oriented contributions are welcome.
- Co-authored proposals may be submitted, provided that both authors meet the eligibility requirements.
Submission guidelines
Applicants are invited to submit an extended abstract of 800–1,000 words, excluding references. The abstract should include the following elements:
- Title of the proposed paper;
- Research question and its relevance to the call;
- Conceptual or theoretical framework;
- Methodology, where applicable;
- Principal findings or argument;
- Paper’s contribution to research on the ethics of AI;
- Three to five keywords.
Selection Criteria
- Proposals will be reviewed by the laureates and jury members of the UNESCO Beruniy Prize for Scientific Research on the Ethics of AI.
- Successful applicants will be notified by 15 November 2026 and invited to submit a full paper of approximately 5,000–7,000 words by 1st December 2026.
- Travel support will be offered to one of the selected authors to attend the academic event in Paris, alongside the distinguished members of the UNESCO Beruniy Prize International Jury and Laureates who serve as members of the Selection Committee. The author receiving this support will be identified following the selection process.
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