At the ODI we are proud to work with academic institutions worldwide to develop and deliver bespoke academic research modules in areas of shared interest. Although every course collaboration is tailored to the needs of the department and course, in general, this involves working with our academic partners to craft a series of research questions that we then submit to the students who work to deliver their findings as if they were delivering for a client. The students gain experience working for a client while generating new insights that help us tackle real-world problems.
Since 2022 we have contributed to Duke University’s Ethical Tech Practicum where students have helped us to map the components of responsible data stewardship, examine concentrations of power within data sharing ecosystems, and deconstruct how data institutions working in climate and energy facilitate access to sensitive data.
The ODI has been a terrific partner for the course. The ODI team has presented our students with challenging ethical tech problems and has regular check-in calls with the students where they share updates on their research and gain further insights from ODI. It is a terrific collaboration.
J.D. Duke University Science and Society
Students, participating clients and faculty all benefit from the holistic approach taken within these course collaborations, which integrates academic study with real-world client experience.
As a millennial who grew up with the various iterations of the Internet, working with an organisation founded by Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Sir Shadbolt is a surreal experience. Unlike any other academic course, the Ethical Tech Practicum facilitated client-driven work. It pushed our team to think about the most pressing issues surrounding digital trade and data policies through the lens of competing stakeholders in a global context. The research team from the ODI encouraged us from the beginning to be involved right from the framework’s design stage, which is exhilarating. I will always cherish this experience going forward.
Ethical Tech Practicum
We would be pleased to explore opportunities for collaboration with other academic institutions so please get in touch with your ideas.