The CIVIS Alliance – of which Sapienza is a member – is now accepting applications for its new course on ‘Ethics of Innovations for the Digital Welfare State’, which forms part of the micro-programme ‘Equitable and Just Digital Society: Developing Interdisciplinary Skills and Knowledge’. The course, taught by Mone Spindler and Regina Ammicht Quinn from the Centre for Ethics at the University of Tübingen, will take place online from October 15 to December 12, 2026, but will be highly interactive.

What are ethical aspects of digital innovations applied in the public welfare sector? How can ethical reflection contribute to responsible innovation in this field of digital society?  This course, which focuses on the potential and challenges of society’s digital transformation, aims to help students develop critical knowledge and practical skills in ethical reflection on digital innovations.

The topic will be explored, starting with digital innovations for the welfare state, with particular reference to artificial intelligence tools for public employment services. In the first part of the course, the lecturers will examine how ethics helps us to understand that digital innovations are neither objective nor neutral.
In the second part, the focus will shift to how ethics can contribute to responsible innovation in the digital society. 

The course is open to all Sapienza students currently enrolled on a master’s degree programme or a PhD programme, who may enrol by July 15, 2026. For further information, please see the CIVIS link.
You can enrol on this individual course or, over time, complete the entire micro-programme as further courses are launched in subsequent academic years.

CIVIS micro-programmes allow students to combine several courses or modules into a single personalised learning pathway, to be integrated into their main university degree programme, or simply to explore new interests. Furthermore, as a micro-programme is designed and delivered jointly by several universities within the CIVIS Alliance, these mobility options facilitate contact between students and staff across Europe, promoting cultural exchange, multilingualism, innovative teaching methods and new learning experiences.
Through a combination of virtual, blended and in-person mobility, students can build their own flexible micro-programme without the barriers that often limit participation in traditional courses, particularly at European level.