Competitions

Application Deadline : 8 January 2024
Competition Title : Essay competition: the role of misinformation in the formation of historical memory

"The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) is pleased to announce an essay competition for undergraduate (Bachelor's) and Master's students on the following topics:" - The Evolution of Disinformation: From 20th Century Propaganda to 21st Century Fake News - Truth in the Digital Age: The Impact of Misinformation on 20th and 21st Century Narratives - The Age of Disinformation: Historical Roots and Contemporary Impact - Reshaping Reality: The Role of Misinformation in Distorting Historical Truth - Rewriting History: The Legacy of Disinformation in the 21st Century - Reflection of History: How Misinformation Shapes Our Understanding of the Past   The purpose of the competition: to encourage, and popularize memory and disinformation research among students, and raise awareness of past and contemporary events in society.   Conditions of participation in the competition and evaluation criteria: The competition essay should address the role of misinformation in shaping historical memory, analyzing the impact of misinformation on society and historical narratives. Essays can focus on a specific period or issue in the history of Soviet or modern Georgia, or on general policies or trends/areas. The essay may be based on the analysis of press and media, public information, archival materials, and open sources, as well as on the results of sociological or ethnographic research. One participant can send several essays (on different topics). The essay must be the author's original work and must present his or her findings and analysis. The submitted essay must be in Georgian.   Essay structure: - title - A cover with personal information (name and surname of the contestant, date of birth, academic degree) - Introduction - Main part - conclusion - References/appendices   Technical specifications for the essay are as follows: - Document Format: MS Word document - Word Limit: 1500-2500 words (includes footnotes; excludes title page, bibliography, and appendices) - Font: Sylfaen/Calibri, Size 12 - Line Spacing: 1.15 - Page Margins: Normal - The analysis in the essay must belong to the author. If plagiarism is detected, the contestant will be disqualified from the contest. - Papers that have already been published will not be accepted.   Competition prizes: I place - 700 GEL II place - 500 GEL III place - 300 GEL   IDFI reserves the right not to award a prize if the quality of the submitted essays does not meet the competition requirements. The best essays will be published on IDFI's web (www.IDFI.ge) and social (Facebook; Twitter) pages, with copyright protection. If you wish to participate in the competition, the deadline for submitting your work is January 8, 2024. Papers can be submitted only electronically to the following e-mail address: contest@idfi.ge. When sending, please include your first and last name in the subject line of the email.   For more information about the contest, contact us Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.: Tel: +995 32 2 921514 E-mail:e.kalandadze@idfi.ge   The competition is held with the financial support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).  
Application Deadline : 7 September 2023
Competition Title : Call for Applications: Country Researchers from Eastern European and Central Asian Countries for Global Index on Responsible AI

Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI)  is seeking applications for the position of Country Researcher(s) from  Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan for the  Global Index on Responsible Artificial Intelligence (GIRAI) project, to support the development of a comprehensive set of benchmarks for measuring countries' commitment towards responsible AI worldwide.  As a Country Researcher, you will play a crucial role in gathering and assessing evidence on responsible AI commitments and progress in your designated country, contributing to the advancement of accountable and rights-based AI principles globally. Join us in shaping the future of responsible AI practices and promoting human rights-based AI principles globally. As a Country Researcher for the Global Index, you will make a significant impact in fostering accountability, refining best practices, and driving positive change in the AI landscape. About the Global Index on Responsible AI: The GIRAI is a groundbreaking tool designed to provide a reliable and comparative assessment of responsible AI practices in countries worldwide. By integrating human rights obligations into AI ethics principles, the Global Index establishes concrete benchmarks for measuring responsible AI based on existing human rights treaties and standards. The Global Index aims to foster accountability, refine best practices, develop precise policy interventions, and encourage regional and international cooperation in promoting responsible AI. To do so, the GIRAI has built a Global Research Network composed of Regional Hubs, which are civil society organisations, research institutions, think tanks and universities very well known and recognized in their regions for their work towards digital technologies and AI and human rights. These organisations are in charge of coordinating the work of more than 130 country level researchers. Responsibilities of Country Researcher: As a Country Researcher, your main responsibilities will involve conducting primary data collection in your assigned country to complete the survey for GIRAI. To accomplish this, researchers will participate in mandatory capacity building sessions where they will be introduced to the concepts of responsible AI through the lens of human rights, and be familiarised with the GIRAI tools and methodology, data collection strategies, and supervision procedures. They will also receive a Researcher's Handbook which provides definitions, justifications, identifications, and examples for each thematic area of the GIRAI. Ensuring that Country Researchers adhere to data quality standards, follow the established data flow processes, and comply with the timelines and milestones for completing data collection, all of which are established by the GIRAI team and the Regional Hubs, is crucial. The GIRAI survey is organised across thematic areas, which cover the core components of responsible AI, based upon human rights-based standards and democratic principles related to AI. Some examples of these include Gender Equality, Data Protection and Privacy, Bias and Unfair Discrimination, Labour Protection and Right to Work, Accountability and Responsibility, Transparency & Explainability. Country Researchers will be asked to provide and assess evidence on frameworks, government actions and non-state actors working to advance each thematic area and its intersection with AI.  Requirements for Country Researchers: - In-depth knowledge of AI governance, policies, as well as the social and ethical implications of AI and digital technologies. - Advanced research skills and experience in AI-related fields, with a focus on responsible AI, data protection, data policy, and data sharing. - Familiarity with recent policy developments related to AI in the designated country.   - Strong command of written and spoken English and fluency in one or more official languages of the designated country.    - Experience in online data collection and assessment of documentary evidence.   - Demonstrated ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and adhere to data quality standards.   - No conflicts of interest that could interfere with the ability to conduct  impartial assessments of available evidence.   - Stable internet connection (with an average download speed of 25 Mbps).   - Availability between September 2023 and February 2024.      Application Process: To apply for the position of Country Researcher, please fill out the form by September 7, 2023    Key Requirements: - A brief motivation letter expressing your interest in the role of country researcher.   - Prior research experience, with specific attention to AI and familiarity with AI landscape in the specific country.   - Indication of your availability and time commitment from September to February 2024.   - References or examples of research papers, reports authored or co-authored.   We look forward to receiving your application and reviewing your qualifications.   In case of any questions, please contact us at: info@idfi.ge   
Application Deadline : 14 September 2022
Competition Title : Academic and Certificate Program: Disinformation and Propaganda Studies: History, Theories and Means of Debunking -2022/23 Intake

In collaboration with the Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) and the University of Georgia (UG), it is planned to continue the joint educational project "Disinformation and Propaganda Studies: History, Theories and Means of Debunking" from the fall semester of the 2022-2023 academic year.   In total, 13 students passed  the certificate program during the first year, while 4 students due to different reasons will pass the course from  September. Besides the 17 students, the UG students engagement rate in the program was high: more than 20 students chose the modules as subjects, while a similar number of students attended offered workshops and conferences.   The academic program - Disinformation and Propaganda Studies: History, Theories and Ways of Debunking which is jointly organized by the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) and the University of Georgia (UG) started on September 20, 2021. Overall, 78 applicants expressed their desire to participate in the program. After reviewing CVs and cover letters, 35 applicants moved on to the interview stage, which took place on September 13-15. Finally, 19 participants were selected to participate in the program together with the students of the School of Social Sciences and Media of the University of Georgia. Due to personal reasons, two students could not attend the courses, leading to  17 students attending the courses in the first year. The participants represent various Georgian universities, regional media outlets, civil society organizations, and public institutions. In addition, there were students of the UG, who could obtain six academic credits by choosing and passing various modules. Overall, a variety of  modules were passed by more than 20 students.   In the framework of the academic program participants had a chance to attend 6 modules and several short training seminars on disinformation and propaganda research, history, its public impacts, and the ways of debunking during two semesters. The participants also had an opportunity to develop research projects and present them at an international academic conference held on July 3-4, 2022.   The program ‘Disinformation and Propaganda Studies: History, Theories, and Means of Debunking’ is designed over two academic semesters and includes 6 study courses. Bachelor's and master's students of the University of Georgia and other universities of social sciences/humanities, as well as persons working in the public and non-governmental sector, media representatives, can participate in the program.   In the case of students of the University of Georgia, lecture courses will be available among elective subjects, and each course taken is equivalent to 6 study credits. All participants who successfully complete at least 4 training courses will receive a bilingual certificate confirming completion of the program.   In addition to standard lecture courses, participants will also be able to attend public lectures, special seminars and participate in international academic conferences. The 10 best essays/projects prepared by the participants, after the successful completion of the program, will be published/distributed on the websites and social pages (Facebook and Twitter) of the University of Georgia and IDFI.   *Language of teaching: Georgian, although a large part of reading material is presented in English. People interested in applying for the program: students (except the University of Georgia); representatives of public service and non-governmental sector and media,  should send an application to the following link by August 29, 2022: https://forms.gle/pcacP7H4o1pQaK8X8   Participants of the program are selected at the initial stage based on the application. Candidates who passed the second stage will be interviewed.   During a short interview, the readiness of the participants to fully comply with the requirements of the program will be assessed   Selected participants will be fully funded for their tuition fees.   Selection criteria:     Motivation (30);    Teamwork and presentation skills (30);    It is desirable to know the English language at the intermediate level (25).    Plan/possibility of reflecting the course in one's own activity (15) Contact us for more information: n.gozalishvili@idfi.ge
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