- Angel Draev
- Queenie Tam
Intermediate
Event Organizer(s)
Supported by
Description
As governments accelerate digital transformation, the use of AI and data-driven systems in public services is rapidly expanding. These technologies are reshaping service delivery while introducing new challenges around fairness, transparency, accountability, and inclusion.
This course equips policymakers and practitioners to move beyond general principles and awareness, and apply practical impact assessment tools to real governance decisions involving AI, digital public infrastructure and data-driven public services.
Building on UNDP’s Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) methodology, the course guides participants through a structured process to scope a use case, identify risks and impacts, and develop mitigation and governance recommendations.
By the end of the course, participants will have developed a draft impact assessment and mitigation plan for a real-world digital or AI governance use case relevant to their institutional contexts.
With the generous support of the Global Gateway strategy of the European Union, this course is free for selected participants.
Target population
The course is designed primarily for government officials, policymakers and development practitioners working on digital transformation, AI, and/or data governance. It is particularly relevant for public sector institutions directly designing, procuring, regulating, and overseeing AI-enabled or data-driven systems, including line ministries and public service agencies, especially in justice, social protection, health, education, migration, labour and local government agencies, as well as National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), and regulatory authorities that focus on data protection and AI governance.
The maximum number of participants is limited to 35 persons.
Kindly note this course is restricted to users who meet the following criterial:
Entry requirements
Participants should have a basic understanding of digital systems and AI, and ideally two or more years of experience in digital policy/transformation, ICT, or governance, dealing with various governance frameworks for digital systems. Those who have a strong interest in applying practical risk assessment tools are particularly encouraged to apply.
Important additional requirements:
- Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree in a relevant field or have a minimum of three years of experience in the above-mentioned areas if they do not hold a university degree.
- Possess a fluent level of English.
- Complete the application questionnaire, provide a motivation letter and attach an up-to-date CV.
- Government officials and policymakers from developing countries, particularly women, are encouraged to apply.
- Selection will be conducted by the course organizers, who will consider the above entry requirements along with an analysis of the application questionnaire and the motivation of each applicant.
Learning objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain the role of impact assessment in responsible digital transformation
Understand how assessment approaches support AI governance, data governance, and public sector digitalization
- Identify key risks in AI and data-driven systems
Recognize ethical risks (e.g. fairness, bias, autonomy, transparency) and human rights risks (e.g. discrimination, exclusion, lack of accountability)
- Understand approaches to ethical and impact risk assessment, building on international frameworks and the UNDP HRIA AI Toolkit
Become familiar with key principles for assessing ethical risks (UNESCO perspective) and understand how these are operationalized through the UNDP HRIA AI methodology for applied impact assessment
- Understand the key steps of a practical impact assessment methodology (UNDP approach)
Learn how to scope systems, identify impacts, analyse risks, and define mitigation measures
- Propose practical mitigation and governance measures
Identify safeguards, accountability mechanisms, and policy responses
- Apply a structured approach to a real-world use case
Develop a high-level impact assessment and actionable recommendations
Methodology
This course will be delivered online via Zoom, led by instructors using PowerPoint slides, short videos, and other creative media. There will be a total of 5 sessions, each lasting 2 hours. The first 4 sessions will be held across 2 weeks, followed by a week’s break and reconvening for a final session. To maximize interaction and engagement, there will be polls and surveys, breakout sessions for brainstorming and discussions, as well as short presentations throughout the course that encourage participants to draw on their specific environments.
Participants will work in teams on one selected AI or digital governance use case throughout the course, producing one practical output per session that contributes to the final presentation.
The final session is dedicated to group presentations, peer exchange and facilitator feedback on the draft impact assessment and mitigation plan.
Timeline of the live sessions:
- Session 1: 6 October 2026 | 09:30-11:30 CET
- Session 2: 8 October 2026 | 09:30-11:30 CET
- Session 3: 13 October 2026 | 09:30-11:30 CET
- Session 4: 15 October 2026 | 09:30-11:30 CET
- Session 5: 27 October 2026 | 09:30-11:30 CET
Assessment and grading
Participants' performance in this course will be determined using a combination of grades for pre-class short quiz, attendance and participation in class/zoom session, and the final project:
- A pre-class short questionnaire to understand participants’ professional background and knowledge level on AI governance. Completion - 10 points.
- Attendance and active contribution to discussions during live sessions - 40 points.
- Attendance per session – 4 points
- Active participation per session – 4 points
- A group project (a total of 50 points) requiring participants to apply the course content and tools to develop a draftimpact assessment and mitigation plan. Participants will work in teams to complete one phase of the project during and after each session, and present their work compiled from all sessions during the final session, including:
- Scoping of the AI use case
- Identification of affected stakeholders and potential impacts
- Risk analysis and mitigation measures matrix
- Governance recommendations and safeguards
- Submission - 30 points, good - 40 points, excellent - 50 points
A total score of 70 points (or %) or more is required to obtain the ITU certificate.
Activity Weighting (%)
Pre-training knowledge check : 10%
Attendance and active contribution : 40 %
Group project : 50 %
Total :100%
Training details and instructional approach
Week 1 – October 6
Module: Session 1 – Responsible Digital Transformation: AI and Risk Landscape
This unit introduces the opportunities and risks associated with AI in digital transformation. Participants will explore how AI systems influence public decision-making and service delivery, and examine governance challenges—including fairness, transparency, accountability, inclusion, and human rights—through real-world case studies.
Week 1 – October 8
Module: Session 2 – Impact Assessment Methodology for Responsible AI
This session introduces the UNDP Impact Assessment methodology for AI and digital systems, explaining how it supports responsible digital transformation by helping identify, assess, and mitigate risks throughout the lifecycle of AI-enabled initiatives. Participants will also compare this methodology with alternative assessment approaches through practical case studies.
Week 2 – October 13
Module: Session 3 – Navigating the Impact Assessment Online Toolkit
The UNDP HRIA methodology has been implemented in an online toolkit to facilitate impact assessment. This session will introduce this tool.
Week 2 – October 15
Module: Session 4 – Impact Assessment, Mitigation and Safeguards
Participants will apply the UNDP Toolkit to assess risks, identify governance considerations, and develop practical mitigation measures for AI-enabled digital transformation initiatives. For teaching purposes, the cases will be fictional and their description will be limited. This is in line with the time allocated to this unit and the methodology of the UNDP HRIA Toolkit, in which the assessment should be carried out at the outset of AI projects when the design of the AI solution has not yet been fully defined.
Week 4 – October 27
Module: Session 5 – Wrapping it Up
This session complements the previous one and consists of the final activity, in which the teams will present and discuss the conclusions of their assessment. Each team is expected to provide a document outlining their assessment results using the UNDP Toolkit.
Registration information
Unless specified otherwise, all ITU Academy training courses are open to all interested professionals, irrespective of their race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, economic status and other diverse backgrounds. We strongly encourage registrations from female participants, and participants from developing countries. This includes least developed countries, small island developing states and landlocked developing countries.
