The Technology Governance Policy Challenge is a two-day event where graduate students develop the best ideas in addressing longer-term governance challenges associated with new and emerging technology. Participating student teams draw inspiration from a real-world case study and present their policy briefs to a distinguished panel of judges comprising industry experts, government representatives, and faculty members.
The Technology Governance Policy Challenge provides advanced training to future international affairs researchers and policy professionals who anticipate addressing the impacts and possibilities of advanced technologies in their policy area. The competition, originally launched as a pilot program in 2024, generates valuable analysis and creative ideas for governing the adoption of advanced technologies for managing migration; creates a community of practice composed of student-participants and experts from industry, government, and non-profit sector who serve as judges and coaches; and establishes a network of academic institutional partners composed of professional schools of international affairs and research centers committed to research and teaching related to the governance of emerging and advanced technologies.
The 2027 theme is “Dual-Use Technologies and the Future of Humanitarian and Development Assistance.” Participating schools include: American University’s School of International Service (USA), IE Madrid (Spain), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, National Chengchi University (Taiwan), New York University (USA), the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs (Canada), Sciences Po (France), San Francisco State University (USA), Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico), the University of Warwick (UK), and the University of the Western Cape (South Africa).
The event will take place in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, from February 7 to 9, 2027.
Previous Challenges
2026 “Green Technologies for Climate Mitigation, Adaptation and/or Intervention” was double the size of the 2025 Challenge. Participating schools included American University’s School of International Service (USA), IE Madrid (Spain), the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (Canada), the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs (Canada), Sciences Po (France), Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico), the University of Warwick (UK), and the University of the Western Cape (South Africa).
2025 "Emerging Technology and Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration" included graduate student teams from American University’s School of International Service (USA), New York University (USA), IE Madrid (Spain), and University of the Western Cape (South Africa).
2024 “Technology and Foreign Interference in Elections” with American University’s School of International Service (pilot program)
Anthologies
The policy briefs from the 2025 and 2026 competitions have been published as anthologies.
Partner Organization
The Balsillie School is pleased to partner with American University’s School of International Service, a top 10 school of international affairs located in Washington, DC. The school and its research centers – including the Center for Security, Innovation, and New Technologies – produce transformational research and prepare more than 3,000 professional graduate and undergraduate students for global careers in government, nonprofits, and business.
