The Chair of Emerging Technologies, Democracy and Human Rights is dedicated to exploring the complex interactions between technological innovation, democratic governance, human rights, and global security. It investigates how emerging technologies from artificial intelligence and data analytics to digital platforms and cybersecurity tools affect democratic processes, human rights protections, and international affairs, with special attention to the experiences and needs of women and marginalized groups.
The Chair conducts interdisciplinary research, organizes workshops, seminars, and conferences, and fosters dialogue among policymakers, academics, civil society, technology developers, and security experts. It supports stakeholders in assessing, implementing, and continuously evaluating the impact of new technologies from a human rights perspective, ensuring ethical, inclusive, and responsible innovation.
Strategic Objectives:
- Analyze the effects of emerging technologies on democracy, governance, human rights, and security.
- Promote ethical, transparent, and accountable development and use of technologies that respect democratic values and protect vulnerable populations.
- Develop policy briefs, reports, and academic publications that contribute to global debates on technology, human rights, and democratic resilience.
- Facilitate capacity-building initiatives, training programs, and educational courses for diverse audiences to navigate the opportunities and risks posed by emerging technologies.
- Strengthen collaboration among governments, civil society, and the private sector to integrate human rights considerations into technological innovation and policy design.
Chair Director: Ingrid Bicu
Ingrid Bicu is a distinguished expert in emerging technologies, democracy, human rights, electoral governance, and strategic communications, with extensive experience at national and international levels. She currently serves as Strategic Advisor at the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) in Stockholm, focusing on facilitation and advisory activities in peacebuilding and democratic governance.
From 2021 to 2025, she was a Research Associate at the Institute of European Studies and Human Rights, Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, specializing in the ethical governance of artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for democracy and human rights. Previously, she served as Senior Expert at International IDEA (2019–2023), seconded by Romania’s Permanent Electoral Authority, leading initiatives on emerging digital challenges, elections, and strategic communications.
Bicu has a strong background in electoral management and public administration, holding multiple roles at Romania’s Permanent Electoral Authority, including Director of Communications and International Affairs, Parliamentary Adviser, and Coordinator for Romanian citizens abroad. She also served as Senior Expert for the Independent Election Commission of Jordan, focusing on elections and strategic communications.
Earlier in her career, she worked at Romania’s Open Source Centre as Senior Analyst and Research Analyst in Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and lectured at the National Intelligence Academy in OSINT and competitive intelligence.
She holds a Bachelor’s in Communication and Public Affairs from SNSPA, a Bachelor’s in Law from UMK University of Iași, and a Master’s in Gender, Justice, and Society from Umeå University. She also completed specialized training in intelligence analysis and military intelligence at the National Intelligence Academy. Bicu’s interdisciplinary expertise combines policy, law, security, and technology to support inclusive, ethical, and resilient democratic governance.