Interdisciplinary School for PhD Students and Postdoctoral Researchers
February 8-12, 2027
Villa del Grumello, Como
https://govai.lakecomoschool.org/
Application deadline: 15 November 2026
Artificial Intelligence increasingly shapes scientific practices, institutional decision-making, legal frameworks, and social and political processes. The question of how AI systems should be governed has therefore become a central research challenge cutting across traditional disciplinary boundaries.
The Governing Artificial Intelligence School brings together scholars and PhD students from philosophy, sociology, anthropology, law, political science, and formal and computational methods. Its aim is to create a shared interdisciplinary environment for investigating the conceptual, normative, social, legal, political, and technical dimensions of AI governance.
Topics
The School will address four main thematic areas:
Philosophy
- Ethics, responsibility, and accountability in AI
- Epistemology of AI and automated decision-making
- Fairness, reparation, transparency, and explainability
AI, Society, and Culture
- Sociology, anthropology and ethnography of AI
- Cultural diversity and decolonization in AI
- AI, human rights, and justice
Law and Politics
- AI law and regulation
- Political and democratic governance of AI
- Interdisciplinary approaches to AI governance
Formal and Technical Approaches
- Formal methods for Responsible AI
- Verification, certification, and auditing of AI systems
- Technical AI governance and governance-by-design
Speakers
The School will feature invited contributions from leading scholars working across the different dimensions of AI governance:
Elena Esposito — University of Bielefeld & University of Bologna
Sociology, Algorithmic Prediction and Artificial Communication
Philip Hacker — European New School of Digital Studies (ENS)
European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)
Sabina Leonelli — Technical University of Munich
Philosophy of Science, Data and AI
Giuseppe Primiero — University of Milan
Logic, Formal Methods and Philosophy of Technology
Maria Sapignoli — University of Milan
Anthropology of AI
Judith Simon — Universität Hamburg
Ethics of Information Technologies
Format
The School will be organized around thematic sessions combining invited lectures and presentations by early-career researchers.
Each session will feature an extended talk by an invited speaker, followed by selected short presentations from participating PhD students. Ample time will be reserved for discussion, with the aim of putting different disciplinary approaches into direct dialogue.
Who Should Apply?
Applications are invited from PhD students working on AI governance and related questions in philosophy, sociology, anthropology, law, political science, computer science, logic and formal methods.
Interdisciplinary contributions and research connecting normative, social, legal, and technical perspectives are particularly welcome.
How to Apply
Applicants should apply on the School website, sending:
- a CV;
- a motivation letter outlining their research interests and motivation for attending the School;
- a short abstract for a proposed oral or poster presentation.
Deadline for applications: 15 November 2026
Applications will be selected on the basis of scientific quality, relevance to the School, and the goal of creating a diverse and interdisciplinary group of participants.
Organizing Committee
Judith Simon, Universität Hamburg
Giuseppe Primiero, University of Milan
Contact
PhilTech – Research Center for the Philosophy of Technology
University of Milan
philtech@unimi.it
