HP-UCL IOE Fellowship in AI in Education 2026 for Education Leaders Worldwide

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Applications are open for HP-UCL IOE Fellowship in AI in Education 2026. The HP-UCL IOE Fellowship in AI in Education is a global fellowship delivered by the UCL Institute of Education and HP. The programme develops the knowledge, governance capabilities, and strategic leadership needed to shape ethical, equitable, and learning-centred AI transformation.

HP-UCL IOE Fellowship in AI in Education is a global executive leadership programme for senior education leaders; building knowledge, governance and strategic leadership to drive responsible AI transformation in education systems.

Fellows engage with global experts in AI in Education practice and policy, applied case studies, and peer learning to design responsible AI strategies and practices for education systems.

About HP-UCL IOE Fellowship in AI in Education Programme

As AI reshapes education, many leaders face high-stakes decisions without sufficient evidence, governance frameworks, or understanding of its implications for learning, equity, and trust.

The HP-UCL IOE Fellowship in AI in Education equips senior policymakers and organisational leaders to lead AI transformation responsibly. Bringing together expertise in AI, learning sciences, policy, ethics, and human-computer interaction, the programme supports participants in moving beyond the hype surrounding AI and explores AI’s impact on education and public institutions. Through engagement with global peers, researchers, and industry experts, fellows address real-world challenges and develop learning-centred strategies that strengthen inclusion, institutional capacity, and effective AI adoption.

This is a selective 12-month hybrid programme. It starts with three months of live online workshops, which run alongside and are supported by independent study and coaching. This is followed by nine months of mentoring and a capstone project focused on their own work context, guided by a facilitator, with two follow-up calls with each fellow. The programme also includes a one-week residential in London.

Participants will be required to fully commit to all components of the programme.
The programme covers all costs upon acceptance, excluding airfares and visa expenses.
Programme alumni will be able to join a global network of fellows.

HP-UCL IOE Fellowship in AI in Education Benefits

Fully funded: all programme costs are covered on acceptance (excluding airfares and visas).
Reputation: the world’s leading institution for education: UCL Institute of Education has ranked number one in the world for Education in the QS World University Rankings for 13 consecutive years.
Expert academic team: learn with academics whose work informs AI in global education policy with UNESCO, the OECD, the Council of Europe and the European Commission.
Real impact: a nine-month mentored capstone project on a live policy or implementation challenge from your work and organisation.
Application: curriculum covers ethics, governance, procurement, evidence and scaling, so leaders can interrogate vendor claims and guide effective AI policy.
Network: connect with a select cohort of international senior leaders and become a member of a global network of fellows.

Benefits to Your Organization

An applied output designed for use within your organisation: the 9-month capstone enables fellows to tackle a live challenge in your organisation such as an AI strategy, a procurement framework, or a policy design.
Stronger procurement: Fellows develop a stronger capability to assess vendor claims and procurement choices, helping you negotiate better contracts and understand impact before scaling a pilot.
AI Governance you can defend: Fellows practise auditing AI systems against fairness, transparency and accountability frameworks, so you can explain your decisions to regulators, staff, parents or press.
Better-informed decisions before committing resources to scaling: Fellows learn how to assess AI impact claims and whether results transfer to your context before you commit budget to scaling a pilot.
AI leadership for effective change: AI decisions require complex multi-stakeholder change. Fellows develop the language and frameworks to advise on effective implementation.
Access to global policy thinking: Faculty whose work informs AI policy at UNESCO, the OECD, the Council of Europe and the European Commission, plus a peer cohort of leaders facing the same decisions.

Course structure and content

Delivered as a hybrid fellowship over 12 months. To begin, fellows participate in weekly live online sessions exploring the foundations, opportunities, and challenges of artificial intelligence in education, culminating in a one-week residential in London and followed up by nine months of mentoring on a capstone project.

Week 1 – Framing AI in Education Systems
Week 2 – Foundations of AI, Learning, and Human-AI Interaction
Week 3 – Ethics and Responsible AI
Week 4 – Governance, Policy, and Procurement
Week 5 – Learners, Inclusion, and Equitable Design
Week 6 – Teachers and Professional Agency
Week 7 – Evidence, Implementation, and Scaling
Week 8 – Leadership Clinics and Capstone Launch
Weeks 9-11 – Project Development and Mentorship
Week 12 – Residential Week in London

Eligibility Criteria for HP-UCL IOE Fellowship in AI in Education

For whom is the Fellowship suitable?

Senior education policymakers, system leaders and organisational leaders across Europe, Asia and Africa, working in education, government, the public sector and related fields.
You might be a director at an education ministry, Head of Digital or AI Policy, Director of Education and Children’s Services, a multi-academy trust CEO, Principal of a college group, Pro-Vice-Chancellors and Chief Digital Officers at a university, or a CEO of an education non-profit or Edtech.
The key characteristic of our fellows is the authority to influence AI decisions in their organisation or system: a strategy, a procurement, a policy or a rollout.
This program is not for classroom teachers or individual practitioners. The Fellowship is for leaders who shape policy, governance and strategy across an organisation or system, not for practitioners developing their own classroom or course-level practice.
The capstone project requires work on a live organisational or system-level challenge, which assumes the standing to convene stakeholders and influence decisions. Applicants without that remit will struggle to complete it.
Teachers and practitioners interested in AI and education will find better suited-programmes at UCL Institute of Education. Please refer to the UCL Institute of Education website to find out more information.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be reviewed competitively by the programme team. Selection will be based on:

Relevance of the applicant’s role to AI and education transformation.
Demonstrated leadership experience and potential for impact.
Capacity to participate fully in all programme activities.
Commitment to responsible, equitable, and human-centred approaches to AI.
Strength and clarity of the proposed project idea.
Potential contribution to peer learning and international collaboration.
The programme aims to build a diverse international cohort representing a range of professional, institutional, and geographical contexts.