Governing AI in higher education: Applying human rights to the post-AI condition

This event explores how human rights can meaningfully shape AI governance in higher education and research. It considers higher education broadly, including teaching, learning, research, knowledge dissemination and academic work, and frames the discussion through the "post-AI condition": an environment shaped by socio-technical, legal, political-economic and cultural dynamics in which AI is omnipresent, policy and regulation struggle to keep pace with Big Tech and Big AI, and human rights are challenged. 

The event adopts a human rights approach to AI governance as a fundamental layer through which AI affects universities, students, academics, researchers and democratic knowledge systems. Contributions address academic labour and procurement governance, public AI and the rights to science and education, data privacy and citizens' agency, and the role of higher education institutions in shaping accountable AI.

Agenda

14.00 – 14.10: Welcome and introduction

14.10 – 15.00: Speakers’ contributions

• 14.10 – 14.25 Aída Ponce Del Castillo, ETUI: How AI challenges human rights for academic labour
• 14.25 – 14. 40 Klaus Beiter, North-West University: Public AI and Rights to Science and Education
• 14.40 – 14.55 Ayça Atabey, University of Edinburgh: AI impact on data privacy and citizens’ agency

15.00 – 15.30: Q&A

Refreshments will be provided after the event, as well as networking opportunity.

The event is free to SRHE members and UoE staff and students.