SWING – School on Internet Governance 2026

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SWING – School on Internet Governance 2026

April 20 - April 24

20 April 2026 to 24 April 2026, Winter School
The SWING – School on Internet Governance 2026 will take place in Bruges, Belgium, from 20 to 24 April 2026. Hosted by the United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS), SWING is designed for graduate students, early-career researchers, ICT professionals, policymakers, and anyone interested in the field. The program aims to strengthen participants’ understanding of the actors, processes, and policy challenges, shaping the governance of the internet and digital technologies. Through a combination of expert-led lectures and interactive group work, participants collaboratively analyse key governance issues and develop policy recommendations to be presented during the program’s final sessions.

 

How to Apply
To apply, applicants are asked to submit

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Completed application/registration form (template/model)
  • Copy of a valid ID document (passport or national identity card)
  • Proof of payment of the participation fee (receipt/confirmation)

by 27th February 2026.

 

2026 Theme: Digital Sovereignty

The 2026 edition will focus on Digital Sovereignty — a timely and fast-evolving concept at the crossroads of Internet governance, geopolitics, economics, innovation, and fundamental rights. Broadly speaking, digital sovereignty concerns the ability of states, regions, organisations, communities, and individuals to make autonomous choices in the digital sphere: how data is generated, stored, accessed, and governed; how critical infrastructures are built, secured, and maintained; how strategic technologies are developed and regulated; and how dependencies on external actors are managed.

Across the week, participants will examine digital sovereignty both as a policy objective (resilience, security, competitiveness, strategic autonomy) and as a normative challenge (openness and interoperability of the Internet, human rights protections, inclusive governance, and international cooperation). Particular attention will be devoted to concrete domains where sovereignty claims are most visible — from cybersecurity and AI to semiconductors, undersea cables, and satellite infrastructures — and to the trade-offs that emerge between protection, innovation, and openness.

Lectures and seminars will be delivered by internationally renowned scholars and experts, combining academic depth with policy relevance and practical insight. The programme also includes interactive group work throughout the week, culminating in policy recommendations presented during the final sessions.

For further information about the School and registration, please see the official website or contact Sophie Hoogenboom at shoogenboom@cris.unu.edu.

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