UNESCO and University of Oxford Launch Free Global Course on AI and the Rule of Law

Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concern for justice systems—it is already shaping how courts operate, from evidence analysis to judicial decision-making. Yet many legal professionals remain without clear guidance on how to assess these technologies in line with fundamental rights and the rule of law.
 

To address this growing gap, UNESCO and the University of Oxford have launched a new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) titled AI, Justice and Rule of Law. The free, global course is designed to help judicial professionals navigate the ethical, legal, and human rights implications of AI in modern legal systems.
Developed in partnership with Oxford’s Saïd Business School, the Blavatnik School of Government, and the Faculty of Law, and supported by the European Union, the course aims to equip judges, prosecutors, and legal practitioners with practical tools to evaluate and engage with AI technologies in courts.
 

What sets this initiative apart is UNESCO’s leadership in integrating key issues—such as AI in evidence, judicial independence, and women’s rights—into a single, practice-oriented framework. A central feature of the course is a newly introduced AI and Rule of Law Checklist, designed to help legal professionals scrutinize AI systems and their outputs, including when they are used as evidence in judicial proceedings.
 

The course is now open in English, with French and Spanish versions scheduled for release in June 2026. Enrolment is already underway.
“Cases involving AI are no longer theoretical; they are here, and they are growing,” said UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, Mariya Gabriel. “When that moment comes before you, will you be ready to respond with confidence and clarity?”

Course Overview 

• Duration: Approximately 12 hours of guided learning, plus optional materials 
• Format: Online and self-paced 
• Cost: Free, funded by UNESCO with EU support 
• Languages: English available now; French and Spanish from June 2026 
• Certification: Digital Certificate of Completion from the University of Oxford in partnership with UNESCO and its faculties

Building Capacity for AI in Courts
As courts continue to modernize, AI tools are increasingly used in case management, legal research, and evidence evaluation. While these technologies promise greater efficiency and broader access to justice, they also raise critical concerns around fairness, transparency, accountability, and due process.
According to Proffessor Ignacio Tirado (Secretary-General at UNIDROIT), courts are now regularly asked to assess AI systems within legal proceedings. “Whether AI facilitates or undermines the rule of law will depend on the scrutiny and institutional safeguards courts bring to it,” he noted.
 

The course builds on existing international guidance, including UNESCO’s frameworks on AI in judicial systems, and addresses pressing questions such as how judges should interpret algorithmic outputs, how to prevent bias, and how to maintain judicial independence in an increasingly automated environment.
“Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the context in which legal decisions are made,” said Professor Mette Morsing (Interim Peter Moore's Dean, Saïd Bussiness School, Oxford University). “The challenge is no longer whether to engage with AI, but how to do so responsibly and with integrity.”
The programme also emphasizes the role of courts in protecting vulnerable groups. Philippa Webb highlighted that the course equips judicial actors to “uphold fair trial rights, identify AI-driven harms to women and vulnerable communities, and harness AI’s potential for justice”. (Professor of Public International Law, University of Oxford, Blavatnik School of Government)
 

Who Should Enroll?
The course is tailored for a wide range of legal and public sector professionals, including:

• Judges, magistrates and judicial officers
• Prosecutors and public defenders
• Court administrators and leaders responsible for judicial reform
• Court staff
• Lawyers, solicitors and legal practitioners in civil or criminal law
• Policymakers working on court modernisation or justice governance
• Civil servants involved in the digitalisation of courts or legal services
• Legal advisers, regulatory professionals and compliance specialists
• Legal academics, researchers, law students and early-career legal professionals
• The course will also be relevant to those working closely alongside courts in roles that shape adjudication, evidence, procedural fairness and access to justice.
   

No technical background is required. The course is designed to equip participants with the conceptual understanding and practical tools needed to evaluate and oversee AI systems used within courts and adjudicative processes.
 

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-and-university-oxford-launch-free-global-course-ai-and-rule-law

Developed in partnership with UNESCO, this course provides a human rights-based framework for understanding AI’s impact on justice systems and safeguarding the rule of law.

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