Law, Ethics and Policy of Artificial Intelligence

In 2021, KU Leuven organised the first edition of the Summer School on the Law, Ethics and Policy of Artificial Intelligence. Given its overwhelming success, the programme has taken place every year since. In 2025, the Summer School will take place from 30 June to 9 July 2025. It will include a number of special events to mark its 5^th anniversary.

The Summer School aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the various legal, ethical and policy-related issues around AI and algorithm-driven processes more broadly. As these technologies have a growing impact on all domains of our lives, it becomes increasingly important to map, understand and assess the challenges and opportunities they raise. This requires an interdisciplinary approach, which is why we are collaborating across faculties and departments to organise this Summer School. The programme's goal is to offer participants the latest insights on AI from various perspectives, and in particular the fields of law, ethics and policy.

The lectures are provided by renowned academics, policy-makers from EU and international institutions as well as practitioners, allowing participants to grasp not only the theoretical but also the practical implications of the use of AI in these fields.

The Summer School's intended audience concerns postgraduate students who already obtained a master's degree and junior/senior researchers from various disciplines, as well as policy analysts, lawyers and legal experts, civil servants, members of civil society organisations, AI practitioners, and other professionals with an interest in broadening their understanding of AI and its impact on society.

Participants receive a certificate of attendance with the equivalence of 3 ECTS credits. Those interested also have an opportunity to share their research with fellow participants through a research presentation session.

Thus far, the Summer School has taken place as a hybrid event, enabling participants to join both on campus and online.

Whether physically or virtually, we look forward to welcoming you to Leuven!

Course overview

The Summer School covers a range of topics that will enable participants to better grasp the various legal, ethical and policy implications of the development and use of AI in society. All lectures are taught in English.

The schedule of the Summer School's 2025 edition is currently being finalised. The schedule of the 2024 edition can be found here.

Most lectures focus on horizontal domains of interest, covering topics such as:

• Philosophy of AI
• Ethics of AI
• AI and Data Protection Law
• AI and Competition Law
• AI and Intellectual Property Law
• AI and Consumer Protection
• AI and Liability Law
• AI and Fairness
• The European Union's AI Act
• The role of European & International institutions in AI governance

Though Artificial Intelligence is a general purpose technology, many of its legal, ethical and policy-related implications are context- or sector-specific. Therefore, the programme also explores several vertical domains. These cover inter alia:

• AI and Law Enforcement
• AI and Public Services
• AI and Warfare
• AI and Healthcare
• AI and Education

At the end of the course, participants who attended 90% of the classes and passed the exam receive a certificate of attendance with an equivalence of 3 ECTS credits. Those interested will also have the possibility to present their own research during a research presentation session.

Intended Audience

The Summer School’s intended audience concerns postgraduates (who already obtained a master's degree) and PhD researchers from various disciplines, as well as more senior researchers and professors, policy analysts, lawyers and legal experts, civil servants, members of civil society organisations, AI practitioners, and all other professionals with an interest in broadening their understanding of AI and its impact on society. We welcome applicants from all disciplines.

Programme Format & Location

The Summer School will be organised as a hybrid event, enabling participants to join either on campus or online.

The lectures take place at the KU Leuven Faculty of Law:

College De Valk - DV3
Faculty of Law, KU Leuven
Tiensestraat 41
3000 Leuven
Belgium