Call for Papers: UNESCO x ENS-PSL Advancing Research on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence 2026

Deadline: October 30, 2026

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.

Grounded in the UNESCO 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, this initiative seeks to promote emerging research, foster interdisciplinary exchange and strengthen connections between academic scholarship, public policy and practice.

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

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.

Application

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.

The submission must also include a separate author information page containing

Full name;

Institutional affiliation;

Country;

Email address;

Title, institution and year of PhD completion;

A short biography of no more than 150 words.

Submissions must be written in English and provided in Word or PDF format. To facilitate the review process, the extended abstract should not contain the author’s name or other identifying information.

Click here to apply

For more information, visit Advancing Research on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.

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.

Application

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.

The submission must also include a separate author information page containing

Full name; Institutional affiliation;

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.

The submission must also include a separate author information page containing

Full name; Institutional affiliation;