Digital Policy Hub

A collaborative space for emerging scholars and innovative thinkers to share and develop research on the evolution and governance of transformative technologies.

The Digital Policy Hub is not currently accepting applications.
The application cycle typically runs early each year, with fellowship applications generally accepted February through March. For the latest information and specific dates about Hub fellowship applications, check the program website and CIGI’s social media pages. You can also sign up for our mailing list below to receive updates and reminders.

More Program Information

About the Hub

The Digital Policy Hub at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) hosts a diverse group of emerging, innovative thinkers from the social, natural and applied sciences, providing opportunities for them to further develop their own research, analytical and policy skills. The Hub partners with universities, governments and the private sector to offer a highly collaborative space for undergraduate, masters, doctoral, post-doctoral and visiting (professional) fellows.

Hub fellows spend up to 12 months linking to CIGI’s existing network of more than 100 fellows and policy experts from around the world. Participants join skill-building seminars and other activities that cut across research, analysis and policy, while advancing their career development. Funding for academic fellowships is provided; please see the program FAQ document for more information.

Research Focus Areas and Approaches

Transformative technologies are rapidly reshaping our world. Many are widely known — although often not well understood (for example, hyper-connected social media platforms such as TikTok, mRNA vaccines, electric vehicles, blockchain, quantum computing and artificial intelligence). In parallel, the digitalization of almost everything has created a more interdependent, data-driven world.

The Hub addresses the need for a transdisciplinary understanding of governance challenges and opportunities across such technologies. Research focus is centred on digital ethics and rights frameworks that assist in identifying and mitigating the gaps between rapid technological disruption and diffusion, as well as the lack of governance frameworks at the national and international levels.

Core research areas include:

data, economy and society;
artiﬁcial intelligence;
outer space;
digitalization, security and democracy; and
the environment and natural resources.

The Hub is founded on a transdisciplinary approach (i.e., research that cuts across disciplines and connects fellows with policy makers and industry professionals) that seeks to increase our collective understanding of the socio-economic and technological impacts of digitalization. Such an approach also aims to improve the quality and relevance of research by broadening the capacity of participants to conduct work across disciplines.

Partners

Thank you to Mitacs for its partnership and support of Digital Policy Hub fellows through the Accelerate program. We are also grateful to the John Holmes Trust for the support of fellows whose research focuses on Canadian foreign policy.