Call for Papers: UNESCO and ENS-PSL Advancing Research on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, for Recent PhD Graduates (Paris, 10 December 2026; Travel Support for One Selected Author)

UNESCO and the AI and Society Institute at École normale supérieure (ENS-PSL), Paris, have launched a call for papers inviting recent PhD graduates (within five years of graduation) to submit proposals presenting research on the ethics of artificial intelligence. The initiative is grounded in the UNESCO 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and seeks to promote emerging research, foster interdisciplinary exchange and strengthen connections between academic scholarship, public policy and practice.

Authors of selected proposals will present their research at a one-day, in-person academic event hosted by ENS in Paris on 10 December 2026, bringing together emerging scholars, established researchers and representatives of academic institutions for thematic discussions and expert feedback.

Submissions may address, but are not limited to:

• 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 the Sustainable Development Goals
• Ethics of AI and STEM and basic sciences
• Ethics of AI and frontier technologies

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, and 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.

Submit an extended abstract of 800 to 1,000 words, excluding references, containing:

• Title of the proposed paper
• Research question and its relevance to the call
• Conceptual or theoretical framework
• Methodology, where applicable
• Principal findings or argument
• The paper's contribution to research on the ethics of AI
• Three to five keywords

Include a separate author information page with full name, institutional affiliation, country, email address, title, institution and year of PhD completion, and a short biography of no more than 150 words. Submissions must be in English, in Word or PDF format. The extended abstract must not contain the author's name or other identifying information.

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 to 7,000 words by 1 December 2026.

Travel support will be offered to one of the selected authors to attend the academic event in Paris. The author receiving this support will be identified following the selection process. The call does not mention travel support for the other selected authors, and does not mention any submission fee.

Selected authors will present their papers during thematic sessions at a one-day, in-person event in Paris, France. The programme will include expert talks or fireside conversations, presentations of selected research, moderated discussions and interactive "AI ethics labs" examining concrete research dilemmas, methodological questions and policy challenges. General participation in the event is open to everyone, with registration to be made available on UNESCO's website.

Following the event, UNESCO and the AI and Society Institute will produce the proceedings, bringing together the contributions and key discussions. Selected authors will also be invited to adapt their research for publication in the Tribune of the Conseil de l'intelligence artificielle et du numérique (CIANum).

Submit your proposal through the official online submission form linked on the UNESCO call page by 30 October 2026.