From Panic to Practice: Coimbra Group co-organises conference on governing AI in Higher Education
27 August 2026
The Coimbra Group, Circle U. and King’s College London are joining forces to organise “From Panic to Practice: Governing AI in Higher Education”, a one-day conference bringing together scholars, practitioners, policymakers and higher education leaders to critically examine how universities are -and should be – governing Artificial Intelligence. Registration is now open!
As AI rapidly reshapes higher education, transforming teaching, research and administration, universities are facing fundamental questions around leadership, ethics, capacity-building and institutional strategy. At the same time, AI is prompting a broader reconsideration of the university’s societal mission, its relationship with technological development and, as a space for critical inquiry, its responsibility to help shape democratic and sustainable futures.
The conference will take place on Thursday, 17 September 2026, from 09:30 to 18:15 (UTC+1), at King’s College London. Through a series of panels and discussions, participants will explore topics ranging from institutional capacity-building and the role of AI leads to decolonising AI governance and moving beyond compliance towards more strategic approaches to AI in higher education.
The Coimbra Group community will be strongly represented throughout the programme, with speakers from several member universities, including UCLouvain, Charles University Prague, Jagiellonian University Krakow, Trinity College Dublin and the Universities of Bergen and Galway. Their contributions will bring perspectives from across the network to discussions on institutional policies and practices, the people responsible for implementing AI strategies, inclusive approaches to AI governance and the broader responsibilities of universities in navigating technological transformation.
Participation is free of charge, but registration is required. Secure your place by registering here.