Visiting Fellowship Policy

We welcome applications from academics and practitioners from the UK and abroad who specialise in AI ethics. The Institute will consider applications from individuals who can demonstrate that their expertise and interests are closely related to the work and interests of the Institute. If you can bring something distinctive to our academic life here in Oxford at the Institute for Ethics in AI, please read more and apply.

Experts in AI Ethics, who demonstrate a high level of achievement appropriate to their fields of research or public life and to their stage of career, may apply to join the Institute for Ethics in AI for one University term. You will be expected to participate in the academic life of the Institute and the University through, for example lectures, seminars and workshops. You will be expected to be resident in Oxford throughout the whole term, attend Institute events, give a presentation on your research, and engage intellectually with colleagues in the Institute and the wider university.  

In return for the commitments listed above, we offer you the following benefits:

• Up to nine weeks of free accommodation in Oxford (including family accommodation where needed)
• Economy airfare for the individual fellow
• £500 networking allowance (covering expenses compliant with the University of Oxford Purchasing Policy)
• Access to the Ethics in AI Institute, including desk space and use of the refreshment facilities
• Engagement with Institute Faculty and their academic network
• Attendance at the Institute's regular events and seminars
• University Card for access to the Philosophy and Theology Faculties' Library and the Bodleian Libraries
• An Oxford IT account giving access to all available electronic databases
• An Oxford University email address
• Subscription to the Philosophy Faculty notices mailing list for information on events happening within the Faculty and elsewhere.

Please submit your application along with the required documents by December 4, 2024.

Step 1 - Check for Visa requirements and eligibility and act accordingly

Step 2 - Complete an application form

Step 3 - Send one email to aiethics@philosophy.ox.ac.uk with the following documents. Send using subject title VISITING FELLOW APPLICATION.

• An up-to-date CV (maximum 8 pages)
• Copy of your passport (details page)

Step 4 - Wait for confirmation that your application has been successful

Step 5 -  Apply for your appropriate visa and ATAS certificate [if applicable], see more visa information below

Step 6 - Co-ordinate your travel and accommodation with the Institutes Administrator

Applications will be considered in a gathered field by the Institute's Visiting Fellow Selection Committee and the results will be emailed within two weeks after decisions are made. The panel's decision will be final. The committee will individually assess each correctly submitted application, and places will be awarded by merit against the following:

• Evidence of academic excellence
• Relevance of the proposed research and thematic connection to the activities of the Institute
• Relevance of the proposed research to the current academic research priorities of the Institute
• Potential to contribute to and benefit from interdisciplinary interaction with other Faculty and/or Visiting Fellows

All members of the committee work under the University of Oxford Equality and Diversity Policy to ensure its public engagement activities and services benefit diverse audiences and communities. The Institute will always try to accommodate suitable applicants but reserve the right to restrict numbers.

Please note that the failure to award a visiting fellowship does not necessarily reflect on the deemed quality of the application and therefore the Institute does not routinely provide feedback on applications. There is a limited number of available spaces at the Institute, and the criteria above may mean that one high-quality application is favoured above another. If an offer is made, the applicant will receive a letter, together with the proposed dates of the Fellowship.

Visitors from overseas may need to obtain a visa to enter the UK. In the event that a visa is required, the Institute will provide you with an appropriate supporting letter for your visa application, but please be aware that we are unable to assist with any aspect (financial or administrative) of the application process. Applicants are required to ensure that they have obtained in advance of their visit any visa which is required in order to enable them to enter the UK under the appropriate status. Also, individuals undertaking an element of research in certain sensitive subjects must obtain an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) before commencing their visit. If you are unsure or need guidance concerning the above, in the first instance, please send your query to aiethics@philosophy.ox.ac.uk. Failure to obtain an ATAS certificate (when required) will prevent the visit from commencing. Applying in good time and before travelling to the UK is essential.

University Card and Official Letters (if required)

You will be asked to complete an application form for your University Card and return it to the Institute in advance of your visit so that the card will be ready for your arrival. Forms must be returned with a photo attachment. 

You will also be asked whether you require any official letters of introduction from us to register with the police station or open a bank account. If you do need these letters, you will then be asked for the following information so that we can have them ready for your arrival:

• The bank you wish to open an account with (and the specific branch)? If you do not have a preference, we will address it to the HSBC branch located on Cornmarket Street in the centre of Oxford
• Your passport number
• Your date of birth
• Your home address
• Your address in Oxford

Arrival in Oxford

Within one week of arriving in Oxford, you must notify the admin department of your arrival. An appointment will then be arranged for your welcome induction, at which stage a copy of your passport (and visa, if applicable) will be taken and held on file.

IT Facilities

Any use of IT facilities via the University's computer network is subject to the University's rules and regulations. Visitors' attention is specifically drawn to the following sites, which should be read.

• University information security website
• University Policy on Data Protection
• Use of personal data
• Six key principles of data privacy 

Accommodation

The Institute will assist in arranging your accommodation in Oxford, covering up to nine weeks and including family accommodation where needed.

Insurance

Any personal electronic items brought into the Institute's office space must have a current PAT testing certificate issued by the Biochem Building PAT Testing Engineer. You will be advised on how to arrange this at your induction. Personal belongings are brought in at your own risk; therefore, it is your responsibility to insure and take care of them.

Confidentiality

As a visitor, you may have access to confidential information relating to the University of Oxford, the Institute for Ethics in AI and unpublished research. We expect you not to use or disclose this information to anyone during your time as a visitor or at any time afterwards.

Statutes and Regulations

All visitors must comply with the terms of the University's Statutes and Regulations ("the University Statutes") and will honour codes of practice published under the University Statutes' authority. The attention of visitors is specifically drawn to the following:

• Conflict of interest: https://researchsupport.admin.ox.ac.uk/governance/integrity/conflict
• Academic Integrity in Research: https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/academic-integrity-in-research
• Public Interest Disclosure: https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/public-interest-disclosure-whistle-blowing-code-of-practice
• Research integrity and ethics: https://researchsupport.admin.ox.ac.uk/governance/integrity/policy

Further information about relevant University research-related policies, procedures, and guidance is also available at: https://researchsupport.admin.ox.ac.uk/

Oxford is a notably complex institution, and responsibilities are subdivided intricately. You may have contacts in one or more of the colleges who may be able to arrange for certain material aspects of your stay in Oxford, such as the various privileges which go with the Membership of a College Senior Common Room. Or it is possible that you may be interested in the library or MS holdings of one of the colleges (which are not part of the University Library system and are only accessible by special arrangement). In both these cases, you should contact the college itself as the Institute is not responsible for these arrangements.