AI governance requires not only thoughtful policy design but also deep technical understanding. Yet, training and research at this intersection have been chronically underdeveloped. Our programme addresses this need by bringing together leading researchers from engineering, computer science, and policy to advance the technical foundations of safe, accountable, and well-governed AI systems. By combining cutting-edge science with real-world policy insight, it seeks to deliver practical solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

We conduct high-impact, interdisciplinary research on the technical dimensions of AI governance in collaboration with DPhil students and faculty members in Computer Science and Engineering. WE aim to build the world’s leading centre for technical AI governance research and training, nurturing a new generation of scholars fluent in both AI technology and its societal implications.

Technical AI Governance (TAIG) DPhil Studentships

A world-leading studentship opportunity at the intersection of AI, engineering, computer science, and public policy

Technical AI Governance (TAIG) DPhil Studentships are a first-of-their-kind opportunity for doctoral study that are designed to train researchers who can bridge the gap between advanced AI systems and effective governance. Affiliated with the technical branch of the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative (AIGI), at the University of Oxford, which is co-directed by Prof. Robert Trager and Prof. Michael A. Osborne, the studentships combine rigorous technical research with deep engagement in policy, law, and societal impact.

Modern AI governance problems are fundamentally technical. Questions about compute oversight, privacy-preserving transparency, model evaluation, and standards development require researchers who are fluent in both AI systems and the mechanisms used to govern them. TAIG DPhil Studentships exist to train those researchers and to support them in conducting high-impact projects with real-world implications.

Why TAIG?

The TAIG DPhil Studentships equip researchers with the rare combination of deep technical expertise and a grounded understanding of the policy, legal, and societal dimensions of AI governance. This profile is increasingly in demand across academia, industry, government, and civil society, where institutions urgently need people who can bridge technical detail with governance design.

Studentships are available on a fully-funded, full-time basis, but remote and part-time arrangements may be considered for exceptional candidates, ensuring flexibility without compromising research quality.

A uniquely strong ecosystem

Oxford hosts an extraordinary concentration of expertise across engineering, computer science, AI governance, and public policy. The TAIG DPhil Studentships leverage this ecosystem by supporting doctoral researchers in either the Department of Engineering Science or the Department of Computer Science with:

• One technical supervisor from Engineering Science or Computer Science
• One governance, policy, or legal supervisor
• Programme oversight and support from AIGI, with Technical Governance Lead Dr. Fazl Barez, postdocs, and faculty affiliates offering expertise across a diverse range of relevant topics to ensure that projects remain aligned with high-priority governance goals
• Opportunities for collaboration with AIGI’s extensive network across governments, industry, academia, and civil society

Focus on high-impact research

AIGI has conducted a cross-field project prioritisation process to identify the highest-value technical AI governance problems. Incoming DPhil researchers can pursue projects in these key areas, such as:

• • Compute infrastructure governance
  • Privacy-preserving transparency and auditing
  • Model evaluations and benchmarks
  • Technical standards development
  • Information security and AI system resilience
  • Interpretability for model evaluation

Students work within the rich technical environment provided by Oxford’s world-leading research groups, including robotics, machine learning, cyber-physical systems, and hardware infrastructure labs.

A Hub for Technical AI Governance

TAIG is more than a doctoral pathway – it is a centre for a growing field. AIGI is building a vibrant research community, with an expanding technical collective and network of faculty advisors, through:

• Two+ annual technical AI governance conferences each year
• Technical governance postdoctoral positions
• Regular seminars, workshops, and community events

Graduates of the TAIG DPhil Studentships will be well-positioned for leadership roles in academia, industry labs, government, and civil society. Technical researchers with policy fluency are in extremely high demand, and recent graduates with such profiles have been sought after by major AI labs, standards bodies, and regulatory institutions.

World-Class Research Facilities

TAIG researchers have access to Oxford’s exceptional technical infrastructure, including:

• Hardware accelerator clusters, smart power-monitored compute facilities, and advanced networking equipment
• The Oxford Robotics Institute’s self-driving vehicles, space systems, and robotics platforms
• Cyber-physical systems labs, rapid-prototyping facilities, and GPU-accelerated computing clusters such as JADE
• The NVIDIA-recognised GPU Centre of Excellence
• Dedicated compute funding for each TAIG DPhil Student

These facilities allow DPhil researchers to conduct empirical, hardware-level, and systems-focused governance research unavailable in most policy-oriented environments.

Studentship Structure

TAIG offers two routes into the DPhil Studentships:

Track I: Direct DPhil Route

Applicants propose a project aligned with technical AI governance to either the Department of Computer Science or the Department of Engineering Science. Successful candidates are matched with technical and policy co-supervisors and supported by AIGI throughout their DPhil. Coursework is optional and tailored to individual needs. 

Track II: AIMS-Integrated Route

Candidates apply to Oxford’s prestigious Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems (AIMS) Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) programme, through either the Department of Computer Science or the Department of Engineering Science, which includes one year of advanced technical coursework. AIGI then matches AIMS researchers to high-priority governance projects and provides co-supervision.

Both tracks receive identical research support, training opportunities, and integration into the AIGI community.

Who Should Apply?

Applications are invited from individuals who are motivated to conduct technical research with direct governance impact. Strong candidates typically have educational and/or industry experience in:

• Engineering, computer science, statistics, mathematics, physics or related technical disciplines
• AI policy, governance, law, or political science (paired with a clear technical background)

We especially encourage applications from individuals who want to shape the frameworks, tools, and institutions that will govern increasingly capable AI systems. Part-time and remote learning options may be made available to suitable candidates.

How to Apply?

Before drafting a research proposal, prospective applicants wishing to be considered for a TAIG DPhil Studentship are encouraged to read Open Problems in Technical AI Governance, Reuel, A., Bucknall, B. et al., and Open Problems in Machine Unlearning for AI Safety, Barez, F. et al., to gain a sense of the priorities of the TAIG programme.

DPhil applications should be submitted directly to either the Department of Engineering Science or the Department of Computer Science at the University of Oxford. Applications must be completed (including references) no later than 12:00 midday UK time on 2 December 2025 to be considered for departmental funding. If any TAIG DPhil Studentships remain to be awarded after this date, applications may still be considered if completed before 12:00 midday UK time on 3 March 2026. Please note that applications for Track II, the AIMS-Integrated Route, must be completed by 28 January 2026 to be eligible for consideration. More information on the Track II application process can be found here.

Once you have submitted your application to either the Department of Engineering Science or Department of Computer Science, you must inform the TAIG Programme Manager of your application via email, at sami.wymes@eng.ox.ac.uk, to ensure that your application will be reviewed by the programme panel. Prospective applicants are also welcome to email questions about the studentships or application process to Sami Wymes and are encouraged to contact potential supervisors directly.