UNESCO and the AI and Society Institute at École normale supérieure (ENS PSL), Paris, have announced a Call for Papers inviting recent PhD graduates to submit research proposals on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. The initiative is aimed at promoting emerging research and encouraging interdisciplinary discussions between academic research, public policy and practice.
A selected group of researchers will have the opportunity to present their work at a one day academic event at ENS in Paris on 10 December 2026. Travel support will be offered to one selected author to attend the event in Paris.
About the Call for Papers
The initiative is grounded in the UNESCO 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and seeks to support emerging scholarship on ethical questions surrounding the development and use of AI.
The academic event will bring together emerging scholars, established researchers and representatives of academic institutions for thematic discussions and expert feedback. Applications are invited from relevant disciplines and geographic regions, with interdisciplinary and cross sectoral research particularly encouraged.
Research Areas
Proposals may examine a wide range of issues concerning AI ethics. Suggested areas include multistakeholder and adaptive governance, fairness, accountability and transparency, human rights and AI ethics literacy.
Researchers may also explore the relationship between AI and youth, mental health and healthcare, as well as social inclusion, culture and knowledge systems, gender equality and the rights of vulnerable or underrepresented groups.
Other areas include AI ethics in public policy, research and innovation, the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, ethics of AI in STEM and basic sciences, environmental sustainability and climate action, and ethical questions surrounding frontier technologies.
Eligibility for Researchers
The Call is open to researchers who have completed a PhD within the past five years and whose research addresses issues connected with the ethics of artificial intelligence.
Applications are welcome from different academic disciplines and geographic regions. The organisers are seeking theoretical, empirical, comparative, interdisciplinary and practice oriented contributions. Co authored proposals are also permitted, provided that both authors satisfy the eligibility requirements.
Submission Requirements and Deadline
Applicants are required to submit an extended abstract of 800 to 1,000 words, excluding references. The proposal should contain the title, research question and its relevance to the Call, conceptual or theoretical framework, methodology where applicable, principal findings or argument, contribution to AI ethics research and three to five keywords.
A separate author information page should include the applicant’s full name, institutional affiliation, country, email address, PhD title, institution and year of completion, along with a biography of no more than 150 words.
Submissions must be written in English and provided in Word or PDF format. The extended abstract should be anonymised and should not contain the author’s name or other identifying information. The deadline for submission is 30 October 2026.
Selection, Travel Support and Publication
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 will be invited to submit a full paper of approximately 5,000 to 7,000 words by 1 December 2026.
Travel support will be provided to one of the selected authors for attending the academic event in Paris. The recipient of this support will be identified following the selection process.
Selected researchers will present their papers during thematic sessions at the one day in person event at ENS in Paris. The programme will include expert talks, research presentations, moderated discussions and interactive AI ethics labs focusing on research dilemmas, methodological questions and policy challenges.
Following the event, UNESCO and the AI and Society Institute will produce proceedings containing the contributions and key discussions. Selected authors may also be invited to adapt their research for publication in the Tribune of the Conseil de l’intelligence artificielle et du numérique (CIANum), providing an opportunity to reach a wider academic and policy audience.
I can also prepare 5 Lawctopus style titles focused on the UNESCO Call for Papers, AI Ethics, travel support, Paris event and 30 October 2026 deadline.
