AI Ethics in the Digital Economy
Micro-DegreeOnline

AI Ethics in the Digital Economy

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Program Details

  • Language: English
  • Fees: €900
  • Study Mode: Full-time / Part-time
  • Registration Deadline: Q4: September 30th, 2026
  • Entry requirements:
    • High school diploma or equivalent
    • Basic computer literacy
    • English Level B1 (CEFR) or equivalent

Study Access

Pay for one quarter and have access to the learning materials for 6 months, with the option to extend access if needed.

Program Coordinator

Prof. Dr. Maren Borkert
Prof. Dr. Maren Borkert

About This Course

Over the next 12 weeks, you’ll be immersed in the world of data ethics and AI. The course is structured with 2 Prep weeks, 8 course weeks, and 2 Post-course weeks. It is carefully designed to move from foundations to practice: beginning with the origins of data ethics and philosophy of science, through case studies of failures and best practices, to global frameworks, speculative futures, and a capstone design project. Along the way, you’ll debate, research, and design - gaining both conceptual insights and applied skills to navigate responsible AI in practice.

Whether you’re preparing for a career in tech, policy, entrepreneurship, or research, this course will challenge you to ask deeper questions: not just what AI can do, but what it should do and how.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Understand the historical and philosophical roots of data ethics, from early computing to contemporary AI debates. 
  • Analyze real-world case studies of data and AI failures across sectors such as justice, labour, health and democracy.
  • Compare global approaches to AI ethics (EU, US, China, OECD, UNESCO) and assess their strengths and limits.
  • Explore dystopian and utopian futures of AI, reflecting on risks, opportunities, and preferred futures.
  • Apply ethical principles and frameworks to design responsible AI systems in a final capstone project.

Study Programs

The course is selected as an elective in all Postgraduate Programs

Micro Degree

  • This course is offered as a micro degree.
  • German UDS Micro Degrees are compatible with the European MOOC Consortiums Common Micro Credentials Framework.
  • Micro Degrees will be rewarded with an equivalent of 5 ECTS.
  • Micro Degrees are offered to non-regular students and require a fee of €900.

Requirements

Knowledge and skills as provided in the Prep course.

General Information

  • Teaching Format: Experience
  • Total Workload Master: 125h (40h/85h) / 5 ECTS
  • Total Workload MBA: 100h (40h/60h) / 4 ECTS
  • Total Workload Micro Degree: 125h (40h/85h) / Equivalent to 5 ECTS
  • Module coordinator: Prof. Dr. Maren Borkert
  • Examinations: Quizzes, presentation(s), essay(s)/paper(s), project report(s), written exam (tbd) - Details will be announced with course start.
  • Offered: Even quarters

Course Staff

Prof. Dr. Maren Borkert is a renowned academic specializing in Digital Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management. She served as a Professor and Vice President of Research at XU Exponential University. Her research focuses on disruptive technologies, business model innovation, and sustainability. With a background in migration studies, she has published extensively on topics such as AI ecosystems and platform economies. Her career includes positions at TU Berlin, Universität Wien, and ICMPD.

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