About the Hub
Advancing Responsible AI for Societal Impact
The UNU Hub on Artificial Intelligence for Climate, Governance and Culture brings together complementary expertise to advance responsible, inclusive and justice-oriented approaches to artificial intelligence.
Our Mission
Connecting Research, Policy, People and Technology to Strengthen Societal Resilience
Artificial intelligence is transforming not only technology, but the way societies govern, learn, produce knowledge, respond to crises and build resilience.
At the same time, many of the world’s most consequential challenges do not exist within a single discipline. Climate risk intersects with economic security. Technological change affects institutions, education and human capital. Health, culture, governance and resilience are increasingly shaped by interconnected social, environmental and technological systems.
Our mission is to bring together academic research, international policy, technological innovation, education and real-world partnerships to better understand complex societal challenges — and to explore how artificial intelligence can contribute to practical and responsible solutions.
What We Do
From Research to Real-World Engagement
The UNU AI Hub works across a continuous pathway:
Understand → Anticipate → Develop → Educate → Implement
Our goal is not simply to study artificial intelligence.
It is to build the knowledge, capabilities and partnerships needed to use AI responsibly in strengthening societies.
Understand ➜
Generate interdisciplinary knowledge about complex and interconnected societal challenges.
Anticipate ➜
Use data, AI and emerging analytical approaches to identify risks, patterns and signals that conventional systems may overlook.
Develop ➜
Translate research findings into new AI-enabled methods, tools and approaches.
Educate ➜
Develop researchers, policymakers, practitioners and future leaders capable of working across AI, policy and society.
Implement
Connect research and innovation with governments, international organisations, industry and communities to test, adapt and scale solutions in the real world.
From LEadership
Director’s Message
Through our research clusters, projects, training programmes and global partnerships, we aim to create a continuous cycle between research, solutions, human capital, policy and implementation.
The measure of our success will therefore not be the number of conversations we have about AI.
It will be whether the knowledge and people emerging from this Hub help societies become more resilient, more capable and better prepared for the challenges ahead.
– David K. Meyer
Director
Our People
Leadership and Governance
The UNU AI Hub brings together academic, institutional and policy leadership from UNU, ICEED and SOAS. Its governance structure provides strategic oversight while connecting the Hub’s research, education and engagement activities.
Executive Committee
Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala
Chair
Tshilidzi is the 7th Rector of the United Nations University and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Mr. Ken Kitatani
Executive Committee
Ken is member of the Board of Directors and Committee at ICEED UK, a global policy strategist, and environmental advocate.
Prof. Adam Habib
Executive Committee
Adam is Vice-Chancellor at SOAS, a political scientist, academic, activist and public intellectual.
Management
Mr. David K. Meyer
Hub Director
David is the Senior Executive Director at ICEED UK and an international policy executive specialising in AI governance, economic security and environmental policy. He leads ICEED UK’s global institutional partnerships and strategic engagement with governments, international organisations and academia.
Ms. Victoria Teuchtler
Hub Manager
Victoria works as Liaison Officer at ICEED UK and coordinates ICEED’s activities and supports its international partnerships, institutional engagement and delivery of strategic initiatives.
Cluster Leads
Prof. Ulrich Volz
Climate Finance Cluster Lead
Ulrich is Professor of Economics and Director of the Centre for Sustainable Finance at SOAS.
Prof. Tom Tanner
Climate Adaptation Cluster Lead
Tom is a Professor of Climate and Society and Director of the SOAS Centre for Development, Environment and Policy at SOAS.
Ms. Anna Sakakibara
Governance Cluster Lead
Anna is a researcher at ICEED UK and works on international policy and multilateral engagement, representing ICEED UK in expert discussions on artificial intelligence, human rights and responsible technology governance.
Ms. Swara Fife
Culture and Wellbeing Cluster Lead
Swara is a researcher at ICEED UK and works across international cooperation and policy engagement, supporting ICEED’s participation in global discussions on sustainable development and environmental policy.
Dr. Thais de Carvalho
Education Cluster Lead
Thais is a Lecturer in Sustainability and Development based in the Centre for Development, Environment and Policy (CeDEP) within the Department of Development Studies at SOAS.
Ms. Divya Gupta
Advocacy and Impact Cluster Lead
Divya is Chief of Board and Executive Committee at ICEED UK and a communications and development specialist with extensive experience in international advocacy, sustainable development and engagement with multilateral organisations.
Get Involved
Work with the UNU Hub
The Hub welcomes collaboration across research, policy development, capacity building, knowledge exchange and the co-design and testing of AI-enabled innovations.
Get in touch →