University of Cape Town
5 days ago
Masters Fellowship
Masters Fellowship in AI Governance & Harm Mapping at University of Cape Town University of Cape Town in South Africa
Degree Level
Master's
Field of study
Sociology
Funding
Two-year full-time fellowship under the AI Safety, Peace & Security Hub (AI4D Programme 2026-28) at UCT with IDRC/FCDO support. The post is a funded master's research fellowship involving research outputs, workshops, governance-tool development, and policy engagement.
Country
South Africa
University
University of Cape Town

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About this position
Masters Fellowship in AI Governance & Harm Mapping at the University of Cape Town (South Africa)
This post advertises a master’s fellowship within the AI Safety, Peace & Security Hub (AI4D Programme 2026–28), hosted by the University of Cape Town with support from IDRC/FCDO. The project focuses on AI safety, AI governance, and harm mapping across African jurisdictions to help build scalable, context-sensitive AI risk frameworks for resource-constrained settings.
The research themes include disinformation, extremist recruitment, synthetic non-consensual content, and structural inequality. The approach is described as harmscapes thinking and a whole-of-society perspective, with outputs that include research, workshops, governance-tool development, and policy engagement.
Supervisors: Dr Annette Hübschle and Prof Jonathan Shock.
Eligibility: Applicants should have an honours degree in law, governance, public policy, criminology, international relations, or a related social science. A strong academic record is required, together with interest in AI governance/regulatory analysis and harm-based risk work. Strong analytical and communication/organizational skills, independence, interdisciplinarity, and English proficiency are expected. Desirable experience includes AI governance frameworks, comparative regulatory analysis, harm-mapping, and an additional African language. South African and African nationals, especially previously disadvantaged groups, are encouraged.
Funding: Two years full-time.
Admission note: Applicants must also secure admission to a relevant UCT master’s programme (LLM, MPhil, MSc, etc.) aligned with their background.
How to apply: Send a motivation letter, detailed CV (academic record, experience, publications, and two referees; max 4 pages), and full transcripts to Ms Nwabisa Thwani, copying Dr Hübschle. Use the subject line: AI Safety Hub Master's Student Fellowship Application - Harm Framework. Applications are rolling until filled.
Funding details
Two-year full-time fellowship under the AI Safety, Peace & Security Hub (AI4D Programme 2026-28) at UCT with IDRC/FCDO support. The post is a funded master's research fellowship involving research outputs, workshops, governance-tool development, and policy engagement.
What's required
Applicants must have an honours degree in law, governance, public policy, criminology, international relations, or a related social science. A strong academic record is required, along with interest in AI governance, regulatory analysis, and harm-based risk work. Candidates should have analytical and communication/organizational skills, be independent and interdisciplinary, and have English proficiency. Desirable experience includes AI governance frameworks, comparative regulatory analysis, harm-mapping (harmscapes, structural violence), and an additional African language. South African and African nationals, especially previously disadvantaged groups, are encouraged. Applicants must also gain admission to a relevant UCT master's programme (LLM, MPhil, MSc, etc.) based on their background.
How to apply
Send a motivation letter, detailed CV (including academic record, experience, publications, and two referees; max 4 pages), and full transcripts to Ms Nwabisa Thwani, copying Dr Annette Hübschle. Use the subject line: "AI Safety Hub Master's Student Fellowship Application - Harm Framework". Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
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