On 29 November, Australian and Indian researchers launched a bold plan to promote joint assessments by their countries of critical technologies affecting peace and stability. The project is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under the Australia India Cyber and Critical Technologies Partnership. A short Project Concept can be found here.
This project promotes more rigorous approaches to technology assessments than we have seen in many countries in the past decade. The project seeks to strengthen consensus among key stakeholders in Australia and India regarding the importance of a process of technology assessments that are undertaken jointly with each other. These products would represent an important diplomatic innovation in bilateral relations for addressing the challenges posed by rapid technological advances in practice, and the evolving geopolitical landscape.
The project aims to create a self-organising community of practice (CoP) inclusive of both countries, ensuring its sustainability after the project's conclusion and potentially extending its influence on a wider multilateral scale. To support these goals, the project will create an open-access curriculum for the professional education of government officials and stakeholders responsible for assessing critical and emerging technologies.
Delivered over a year, the project will be led by a multi-disciplinary team of senior researchers and professional educators from Australia and India who have expertise in technology, industry, economics, geopolitics, and public policy. Participating specialists include:
Professor Glenn Withers AO (ANU)
Karthik Bappanad (InKlude Labs, Bengaluru)
Professor Katina Michael (Arizona State University)
Bharath Reddy (InKlude Labs consultant)
Professor Greg Austin (Social Cyber Institute)
Pranay Kothastane (InKlude Labs consultant)
Lisa Materano (Blended Learning International)
Adam P. Henry (RMIT)
About us:
The Social Cyber Institute (SCI) creates new social science insights to complement technology in the fight for a more secure cyberspace. SCI is a non-profit organisation supported by the Social Cyber Group which offers advisory and training services in cyber policy.
Contact details:
Professor Greg Austin
0450190323
greg.austin@socialcyber,co