Intelligence Program
Datasphere Fellowship Program
2023 - 2024
The Datasphere Initiative Fellowship is an interdisciplinary, global and diverse community of academics and practitioners with a mission to responsibly unlock the value of data for all.
Building on the experience of the first cohort (2021-2022) and the second cohort (2022-2023) of Datasphere Fellows, the third cohort (2023–2024) brought together eleven fellows from different regions of the world. Their research and projects explored pressing challenges in data governance, including data cooperation in Africa, sustainability and climate action, artificial intelligence policy, gender inclusion in digital ecosystems, and regional approaches to responsible innovation.
With mentorship from the Datasphere Initiative team and global partners, the fellows critically examined the concept of the datasphere and its role in shaping frameworks and best practices for more inclusive, sustainable, and globally compatible data governance.
The importance of inclusion and intersectionality on the discussions about the “datasphere”
Our fellow Lilian Olivia Orero discussed how the Fellowship expanded their networks, sharpened their research, and gave them a platform to connect global debates on AI, sustainability, and digital inclusion with practical, region-specific approaches to data governance. The video captures her key takeaways and their vision for shaping a more inclusive and sustainable datasphere.
Read the fellows blogs
The third cohort of Fellows shared blogs reflecting on key data governance challenges across regions and sectors. One example, “Cracking the Gender Equality Code in African AI through the Datasphere”, explores how robust data governance can dismantle gender biases in AI systems and foster more inclusive digital ecosystems in Africa. Through such contributions, fellows highlight how the datasphere can be harnessed to advance fairness, sustainability, and regional cooperation in the governance of emerging technologies.
