Courses
Summer School on Artificial Intelligence, Ethics and Human Rights
Third Edition
In Partnership with:
Headquarters: LHA / online
Duration: 25 hours
Date: June 22-26, 2026
Cost: €1000 in person / €800 online
Registration status: open
Open Day
The open day will be held online on May 13, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the course. Registration is required.
The rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping societies and creating new opportunities for efficiency and innovation. However, these developments present significant ethical challenges, particularly in safeguarding fundamental human rights. Issues such as algorithmic bias, discrimination, and equity highlight the disproportionate effects AI can have on marginalized communities. The tension between public safety and personal freedom becomes particularly critical as AI technologies are integrated into vital sectors, including criminal justice, healthcare, employment, and beyond. The international community continues to face significant challenges from AI advances. In December 2024, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the Security Council, stating, "The fate of humanity cannot be left to algorithms." He emphasized the urgent need for international AI governance, warning that the rapid pace of AI development is outpacing regulatory efforts, increasing risks to global peace and security. Guterres highlighted critical concerns, including safety, equality, accountability, and the need to maintain human oversight in AI-driven decision-making.
The Summer School offers a comprehensive understanding of the key scientific characteristics of AI (starting with a definition, describing its key features, and recent developments and innovations) and emerging ethical issues and their impact on human rights in today's landscape. Participants will explore the key ethical principles and values surrounding AI, such as meaningful human control, trustworthiness, explainability, transparency, non-discrimination, privacy, surveillance, autonomy and responsibility, and sustainability. They will examine how these principles and values should guide our actions throughout the AI lifecycle, from design to development/implementation to real-world applications.
The aim is to outline how technologies can threaten human dignity or be used to protect human dignity, from a human-centred perspective. Over the course of the week, participants will delve into the philosophical and legal frameworks governing AI and human rights in the international context, exploring recent regulation in Europe (AI Act, 2024) and outlining how international human rights law applies to AI technologies. The course will then focus on critical issues such as algorithmic bias, discrimination, and inequalities in AI systems, highlighting their impact on marginalized communities and society, and highlighting the tension between public safety and personal freedom in an increasingly data-driven world. The ethical responsibilities of technology companies, governments, corporations, and individuals in mitigating the risks associated with AI and its impact on specific fields will also be explored. The course will also address artificial neurointelligence (at the convergence of neurotechnology and AI) and specific cases in healthcare, criminal justice, and labor rights, focusing on vulnerabilities. By the end of the course, participants will have developed an understanding of the complex relationship between AI, ethics, and human rights, equipping them with the interdisciplinary knowledge needed to critically evaluate the role of AI in society.
Through lectures, document analysis, case studies, interactive discussions, and expert insights, participants will explore ways to ensure AI is developed and deployed in ways that prioritize ethical considerations and respect for human rights. This dynamic learning environment will engage and empower participants to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on how to balance scientific and technological innovation with equity and justice in a human-centred approach.
Course presentation
Location, Duration, and Calendar
Venue
Lumsa Human Academy – Fondazione Luigia Tincani, Via Giuseppe Gioachino Belli n. 86, Roma
Duration
25 hours
Date
22-26 June 2026
Schedule
From 9.30 to 12.30 pm- from 2.30 to 4.30 pm CEST.
Applicants and Certification
Target Audience and entry requirements
The course is designed for university students, postgraduates, Ph.D. candidates, professionals, UN personnel, and AI enthusiasts interested in exploring the intersection of AI, ethics, and human rights.
Candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:
• Be enrolled in, or have completed, a first university degree program (bachelor’s level or equivalent).
• Possess a strong command of the English language.
Certificate of participation
Upon successful completion of the entire Summer School programme, participants will be awarded a certificate of participation jointly issued by the United Nations and LUMSA Human Academy. The Organizers reserve the right to take into account duly justified and exceptional reasons for absences when determining eligibility for the certificate.
Programme and Structure
In person modality:
Classes will take place at LUMSA Human Academy in Rome (Italy) from Monday to Friday from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm CEST.
Online modality:
Classes will be streamed via a dedicated online platform, Google Meet, from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm CEST from Monday to Friday.
The Summer School offers professional, legal, social, scientific, and academic perspectives through lectures, interactive debates, case studies, and expert insights. The faculty of the Summer School comprises leading scholars and academics from LUMSA and other universities, along with representatives from the United Nations system, international human rights bodies, and civil society.
Whether attending the course in person at the LUMSA Human Academy’s beautiful premises in the heart of Rome, or through a dedicated online platform, participants will have the opportunity to interact with internationally recognized experts and peers from all over the world.
This will be the chance to exchange views and opinions, as well as to build lasting professional relationships. The specialised course experience aims to foster intercultural dialogue and to promote a deeper understanding of some of the world’s most complex and debated issues.
Programme
Monday, 22 June 2026
• Welcome and introduction to the course
• AI Definition
• Algorithms, Big Data
• Machine Learning
• Deep Learning
• Generative AI
Tuesday, 23 June 2026
• Ethics for AI: Analysis of Documents of International Ethics Committees
• Overview of AI International Governance and Regulation
• AI Act
• AI Human Rights
Wednesday, 24 June 2026
• Neuro-AI and Neuro-rights: New Challenges to Human Rights
• AI on Health: Case Studies
Thursday, 25 June 2026
• The Role of Generative AI in Spreading Disinformation and its Societal impacts
• AI and Medicine: The Physician-patient Relationship
• AI and Medicine: Case Studies
Friday, 26 June 2026
• The impact of AI on labour rights and the future of the workforce
• Salary and career trends in the era of AI and automation
• Vulnerability, AI and workplace
• Closing ceremony and distribution of certificates.
(UNICRI and LHA reserve the right to modify or amend any of the aforementioned content in situation(s) of exigency, with or without notice. They shall not be held liable for such modification(s) or amendment(s) in any manner whatsoever to participates or third-party affiliates.)
Directors and Scientific Committee
Directors:
Prof. Laura Palazzani, Full Professor of Philosophy of law in LUMSA University, Rome
Cristina Nardelli, Senior Fellow at United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI).
Scientific Committee:
Prof. Stefano Zamagni, President of Lumsa Human Academy
Prof. Iolanda Piccinini, Full Professor of Labour Law, LUMSA University
Prof. Margherita Daverio, researcher (RTD-A) in Philosophy of Law, LUMSA University;
Prof. Valerio Mancini, Adjunct Professor Rome Business School
Prof. Marco Isceri, Attorney, Ph.D., Professor at LUMSA University.
Registration fee
In person modality: 1.000 Euros
On-line modality: 800 Euros
The registration fee should be paid by bank transfer based on the following information: Lumsa Human Academy – Fondazione Luigia Tincani ETS Intesa San Paolo IBAN IT 72 W 03069 09606 100000 189585 (Purpose for payment: specify your surname and the title of the course).
Partnership
UNICRI
The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) is a United Nations entity mandated to assist intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental organisations in their efforts to formulate and implement improved policies in the fields of crime prevention and justice administration. UNICRI is one of the six United Nations Training Institutes.
Since 2015, UNICRI has addressed the challenges of AI through its Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in The Hague (The Netherlands), which promotes understanding of AI’s risks and benefits through coordination, knowledge-sharing, and awareness-raising. This Centre is dedicated to understanding and addressing the risks and benefits of AI and robotics from the perspective of crime and security through awareness-raising, education, exchange of information, and harmonization of stakeholders.
LUMSA University
In 2024 has established a Centre for Bioethics and Digital Transition in Rome, which promotes an interdisciplinary dialogue including informatics, human and social sciences, ethics, law, and politics, in order to reflect on the theoretical foundation and practical application of a human- centric perspective on AI. The Centre is coordinating European and international research projects on ethics of AI in the field of medicine, and in the workplace, with a specific focus on vulnerabilities.
