IAS workshops
The Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) facilitates a range of researcher-led interdisciplinary workshops.
Digital Well-being in a Future of AI and Automation
Tuesday 3 March 2026
The workshop will examine how rapid advances in AI and automation will reshape human experience, well‑being and society, bringing together interdisciplinary expertise across the University of Birmingham to address currently fragmented research and strengthen the University’s leadership in this emerging field. It will explore how digital environments will influence intergenerational well‑being, how AI will affect workplace inclusion and flexibility, how ethical challenges around digital technologies will evolve, and how digital systems will transform learning and pedagogy. The workshop will build new research connections, engage external partners to broaden impact, lay the foundations for future mission‑led funding applications, and support the development of an international Digital Well‑being Network, acting as a catalyst for long‑term collaboration and high‑impact research.
More information
Lead: Dr Daniel Wheatley, Reader in Business and Labour Economics
To find out more about this workshop please email ias@contacts.bham.ac.uk
The Ideology and Politics of Big Tech in World Politics.
Wednesday 15 April 2026
This workshop explores how the rise of Big Tech is reshaping global politics by bringing together expertise from critical political economy, computer science, critical theory, and related socio‑technical fields. It aims to bridge longstanding gaps between technologically oriented approaches focused on technical capacities and innovation and socio‑economic analyses that examine ownership, governance, ideology, and shifting social forces. Co‑led by David Bailey, Masoumeh Mansouri, and Owen Worth, the workshop convenes scholars from across multiple disciplines and institutions to develop a shared analytical framework for understanding the ideological positions, political alignments, and policy implications associated with major Big Tech actors. Collaboration across Schools of Government and Computer Science, as well as partners from universities across the UK and Europe, will support new interdisciplinary methodologies and joint research outputs, laying the foundation for activities such as a proposed special journal issue and an ERC grant application.
More information
Lead: Dr David Bailey Associate Professor
To find out more about this workshop please email ias@contacts.bham.ac.uk