CSLS holds 2024 Oxford Media Policy Summer Institute

Once again we were delighted to welcome an outstanding cohort of 50 participants from more than 30 countries to Jesus College for the annual Oxford Media Policy Summer Institute.

This year’s programme brought together a diverse group of academics, policymakers, civil society representatives, and tech sector professionals to explore issues related to Technology, Policy and Democracy in Flux: From Inequalities to Inclusion. With more than 4 billion people across 50 countries voting this year we focused on issues around elections over the course of two intensive weeks. Apart from issues of mis/disinformation and internet shutdowns around elections, some of our core themes included AI for development and human rights, the role of technology in conflict, and the regulation of new technologies, including AI and social media. Participants were particularly eager to engage on the latest debates on tech governance in the EU.

We were thrilled to have the opportunity to bring together speakers from across Europe as well as from the global majority (further strengthening our growing focus on debates in the global south), including South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Brazil. Our approach included a carefully tailored curriculum mixing leading and emerging academics with those from the policy sector, including from the EU offices of the Digital Service Act and the AI Act, and from tech companies such as OpenAI and Meta. Our class discussions were complemented by the equally important social programme which included long walks through Port Meadow and evening group dinners across Oxford.

To learn more about how participants experienced the Institute, please find some of the feedback.