ICAIRE × UNESCO
A shared commitment by the universities of the world to place human dignity at the heart of AI education
First edition · Version 1.0 · August 2026 · Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Foreword
Artificial intelligence is reshaping every discipline a university teaches, yet no discipline alone can teach humanity how to govern it.
Artificial intelligence now influences how societies learn, heal, trade, govern, and create. The graduates of today's universities will design, deploy, regulate, and live with AI systems whose consequences reach far beyond any single profession. The question before higher education is no longer whether to teach the ethics of AI, but how quickly and how deeply it can be woven into the formation of every student.
The International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), headquartered in Riyadh and designated a Category 2 Centre under the auspices of UNESCO, exists to advance AI research and ethics through international cooperation. In this mandate, ICAIRE invites universities in every region to sign this Pledge, a voluntary, public commitment to embed AI ethics across academic programs, in fulfilment of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, adopted by 193 Member States in November 2021.
The signatory institutions of this Pledge,
solemnly pledge to uphold the ten Articles set out in this document, and to report openly on their progress.
The commitments
These Articles focus on AI ethics in higher education but are not exhaustive. Their principles apply equally to data science, digital governance, and any field where the responsible use of intelligent systems carries societal weight.
every student, in every program, at every signatory university, shall graduate with both the capability to work with artificial intelligence and the ethical formation to direct it toward human flourishing.
We will embed AI ethics within our academic programs through dedicated courses, through modules within existing curricula, and through interdisciplinary teaching, so that the study of AI's ethical, legal, and societal dimensions is not confined to a single faculty but is present wherever AI is taught or applied.
We will ensure that every graduate, regardless of discipline, attains a foundational literacy in artificial intelligence: what these systems can and cannot do, where they fail, whom they can harm, and how to question them, pairing technical awareness with ethical reasoning.
We will invest in our educators. We will provide faculty across all departments with professional development in AI ethics and responsible AI pedagogy, recognizing that teachers cannot impart what they have not been supported to learn.
We will connect computer science and engineering with philosophy, law, the social sciences, medicine, and the humanities, so that AI is studied as a human enterprise shaped by values, institutions, and cultures, not by code alone.
We will establish clear, fair, and publicly stated policies for the use of AI in teaching, learning, and assessment. Those policies will distinguish legitimate assistance from misconduct, will require transparency and disclosure where AI is used, and will safeguard the authenticity of academic credentials.
We will hold AI research conducted under our name to the highest standards of research ethics: meaningful human oversight, privacy and data protection, attention to bias and fairness, and review of high-risk applications before they proceed.
We will work to ensure that AI education narrows rather than widens divides by expanding access for under-represented groups, by supporting linguistic and cultural diversity in AI curricula, and by making AI learning accessible to persons with disabilities.
We will govern our own house. Where we deploy AI in admissions, assessment, administration, or student support, we will do so transparently, with human accountability, respect for data protection, and avenues for students and staff to question and appeal automated decisions.
We will teach and practice AI in awareness of its broader footprint: its energy and environmental costs, its effects on labour and livelihoods, and its impact on the information ecosystem. We will also encourage research and curricula directed at AI for the public good.
We will join a global community of practice: sharing curricula and teaching resources, participating in joint programs and faculty exchange, and contributing our experience openly so that AI ethics education advances everywhere, not only where resources are abundant.
From commitment to practice
A pledge is judged by what changes in the classroom. This Pledge pairs each commitment with a practical pathway and the support of a global network.
Universities join at different starting points. Signatories are encouraged to progress along three stages, at their own pace:
| Stage | What it means | Indicative milestones |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational | AI ethics enters the institution's agenda. | AI ethics module offered in at least one program; institutional policy on AI use in teaching and assessment adopted; faculty focal point designated. |
| Integrated | AI ethics becomes cross-cutting. | AI ethics embedded in multiple faculties; institution-wide AI literacy requirement for all incoming students; faculty development program running annually. |
| Leading | The institution becomes a reference for others. | AI ethics present across all relevant programs; oversight of institutional AI systems in force; curricula and research shared openly with the global network. |
Sign. The university's governing authority (Rector, President, or equivalent) signs the Instrument of Adherence on the final page and returns it to ICAIRE.
Designate. The university names an institutional focal point for AI ethics education, who serves as liaison with ICAIRE and the signatory network.
Assess. Within twelve months of signing, the university completes a baseline self-assessment against the ten Articles, using ICAIRE's accompanying self-assessment framework.
Report. The university submits a brief annual progress report, contributing to a public global picture of AI ethics adoption in higher education.
As a Category 2 Centre under the auspices of UNESCO, ICAIRE provides signatories with:
Annex A
Each Article of the Pledge operationalizes the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (2021) for the higher-education context.
| Pledge Article | UNESCO core values & principles | UNESCO policy action areas |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Curriculum Integration | Human rights and dignity; proportionality and do no harm | Education & research; international cooperation |
| 2 · Universal AI Literacy | Awareness and literacy; leaving no one behind | Education & research; communication & information |
| 3 · Faculty Capacity | Awareness and literacy | Capacity building; education & research |
| 4 · Interdisciplinary Formation | Multi-stakeholder and adaptive governance; living in peaceful, just & interconnected societies | Education & research; culture |
| 5 · Academic Integrity | Transparency and explainability; human oversight and determination | Ethical governance & stewardship; education & research |
| 6 · Ethical Research Practice | Safety and security; privacy and data protection; fairness and non-discrimination | Ethical impact assessment; research |
| 7 · Equity, Inclusion & Access | Diversity and inclusiveness; fairness and non-discrimination | Social & human dimension; gender; culture |
| 8 · Responsible Institutional Use | Responsibility and accountability; transparency and explainability; right to privacy | Ethical governance & stewardship; data policy |
| 9 · Societal & Environmental Responsibility | Sustainability; peaceful and just societies | Environment & ecosystems; economy & labour |
| 10 · Global Cooperation | Peaceful, just and interconnected societies; international solidarity | International cooperation; capacity building |
The UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence was adopted by acclamation by 193 Member States at the 41st session of the UNESCO General Conference (November 2021). The full text is available at unesco.org
Instrument of Adherence
By the signature of its authorized representative, the institution named below accedes to the Global Academic Pledge on AI Ethics in Education and commits to its ten Articles.
This Pledge is a voluntary, non-binding declaration of shared intent and creates no legal or financial obligation for either party. Completed instruments should be returned to ICAIRE at the address below; accession is confirmed upon acknowledgement by ICAIRE.
Return the signed instrument to
International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE)
4349 Northern Ring Branch Rd, An Nakheel, Riyadh 12391, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
info@icaire.org · icaire.org
Tell us about your institution and we will send the signing pack to your authorized representative. Submitting this form does not bind your institution.
