AI foundations: ethics, governance & foundational prompting

What: 1 hour of video lessons + up to 1 hour hands on exercises and use cases.
When: Monday 19/01/26- Friday 23/01/26 (learn at your own pace) + live session on Friday 30th January 2026 12:00 - 13:00 CET
Course lead: Paola Galvez Callirgos
Guest expert: Tea Mustać
Workshop coordinator: Valentina Lazzarini (v.lazzarini@polisync.org)

Course description
This foundational course equips nonprofits with the essential knowledge they need to adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) responsibly and effectively, with a particular focus on Generative AI (GenAI). Participants will develop a solid understanding of GenAI, key concepts in AI ethics, and relevant governance frameworks. By the end of the short course, they will be able to identify and evaluate opportunities, use cases, and potential risks associated with AI adoption. Through practical guidance, they will establish an internal ethical and governance framework, and master foundational prompting techniques. This course empowers nonprofits to begin harnessing AI’s potential in their work in a responsible and impactful way.

Lesson 1: GenAI fundamentals, risks and ethical considerations 

Lesson 2: Adopt AI responsibly with a strong ethics & governance framework

Lesson 3: 7 things to know about the EU AI Act & making AI work for your nonprofit

Lesson 4: AI opportunities for non-profits & foundational prompting

Read the full syllabus below for more details on the course.

Recommended readings

• World Bank 2024, AI value alignment: How we can align artificial intelligence with human values, www.weforum.org/stories/2024/10/ai-value-alignment-how-we-can-align-a rtificial-intelligence-with-human-values/
  
  
• Paola Galvez Callirgos 2025, Harnessing AI ethically in nonprofits: From policy to practice, https://globethics.net/harnessing-ai-ethically-nonprofits-policy-practice

The full content of this course will be available from Monday 19/01/26 to Friday 23/01/26