Fair Transitions, Technology and Social Justice: TSD Opens its 2025–2026 Academic Year

On 22 May 2026, the Turin School of Development (TSD) celebrated the opening of its 2025–2026 academic year at the Congress Centre “Piemonte” of the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO) in Turin. The event brought together institutional leaders, academic partners, policymakers, students, and alumni under the theme “Fair Transitions, Technology and Social Justice” — a theme that reflects the defining challenge of our time: ensuring that the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies serves humanity equitably.

The ceremony opened with welcome remarks from a distinguished group of institutional representatives. Mr. Christophe Perrin, Director of the ITCILO and of the Turin School of Development, set the tone for the day, reaffirming TSD’s mission to train the next generation of international professionals and policymakers. 

The Center explicitly positions the Turing School of Development at the academic lighthouse of this Center, a beacon of academic experience and excellence on social justice through decent work.

The Director of the ITCILO also reflected on the fast-changing world:

• "How do we govern the relationship between human beings and intelligent machines in a way that protects fundamental rights, preserves human agency and ensure that the gains of technological progress are shared equitably? This is not a question for technologists alone. It is a question for policymakers, for workers and employers and the organization, and for the students in this room who will be among those called upon to answer it."

He was joined by Prof. Cristina Prandi, Rector of the Università degli Studi di Torino, and Prof. Stefano Corgnati, Rector of the Politecnico di Torino — the two academic institutions that anchor TSD’s educational model.

• "This campus brings the world into Turin, and at the same time, it helps Turin speak to the world." - Professor Cristina Prandi, Rector of the University of Turin
• "As a technological university, we feel a strong responsibility, educating new generation to understand the potentialities of technologies and its implications, helping the society to a deep transformation driven by innovation." - Professor Stefano Corgnati, Rector of the Polytechnic University of Turin

The national and regional dimensions of the event were equally prominent. Min. Plen. Pierfrancesco Sacco, Coordinator for Humanitarian Corridors at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, represented the Italian government. Dr. Paolo Frascisco, Director of the Regional Executive’s Department of Piedmont, Ms. Michela Favaro, Vice Mayor of the City of Turin, and Mr. Federico Viano, Head of the Governance Department at Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, underscored the deep ties between TSD and its local institutional ecosystem.

• "The school is currently positioning itself as a unique platform to tackle the challenges posed by the digital and demographic transitions, as well as the disruptive effects of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence on the labor markets." - Minister Plen. Pierfrancesco Sacco, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
• "All this makes TSD a hub for dialogue, innovation and social justice, which we almost desperately need nowadays." - Minister Plen. Pierfrancesco Sacco, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
• "Transition must be guided, technology must be directed. And for our foundation, reflecting a philanthropic commitment that dates back 1563, social justice is the compass, ensuring that innovation expand opportunities rather than creating new inequalities." - Mr. Federico Viano, Head of the Governance Department at Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo

From left to right: Mr. Bongani Jameson Bhembe, Ms. Niloofar Tahan, Mr. Aman Srivastava.

 

A central segment of the day was dedicated to the voices of TSD’s global community. Current students offered personal testimonials reflecting on the transformative impact of their studies, while alumni shared reflections on how their TSD experience has shaped their professional trajectories across the fields of international development, labour policy, and governance. 

• "AI cannot replace integrity. AI cannot replace accountability. AI cannot replace judgment." - Mr. Bongani Jameson Bhembe (Eswatini), Master in Public Procurement Management for Sustainable Development
• "This experience helped me understand that occupational safety and health is not limited to one country, one system, or one profession. It's a shared responsibility, and it becomes stronger when people from different contexts learn from each other and work together." - Ms. Niloofar Tahan (Iran), Master in Occupational Safety and Health

These exchanges served as a powerful reminder of who TSD’s seven specialized Master’s programmes are ultimately for: people, and the difference they go on to make.

The intellectual heart of the Academic Day was the keynote address delivered by Prof. Marcello Ienca, Professor of Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience at the Technical University of Munich. Speaking on “Human–AI Collaboration and Neurorights”, Prof. Ienca invited the audience to confront a question that is as urgent as it is profound: how will artificial intelligence change not only human work, but human thought itself?

Drawing on the history of technology — from the printing press to generative AI — Prof. Ienca argued that we are entering an era of “co-cognition” with machines, one that raises unprecedented ethical questions about cognitive autonomy, mental privacy, and the rights of the human mind. The concept of “neurorights” — the legal and ethical protections for mental data and cognitive integrity — emerged as a key framework for thinking about governance in the age of AI.

"For the first time in history, machines are participating in the architecture of human cognition itself. And this is an extraordinary civilizational shift. […] we are now entering the age of mechanical reproduction of the human mind. This means not consciousness, not subjective experience, but cognition. So, we can now develop machines that can externalize and industrialize cognitive processes." - Professor Marcello Ienca

The defining challenge, as Prof. Ienca framed it, is not whether humans and AI will become symbiotic, but whether that symbiosis will empower humanity — or dehumanize it. The keynote was followed by a lively discussion and Q&A session, reflecting the high level of engagement from the TSD community.

The Turin School of Development (TSD) is managed by the ITCILO in partnership with the Università degli Studi di Torino, the Politecnico di Torino, and a network of international higher education institutions. By combining the expertise of the United Nations system with academic excellence, TSD prepares the next generation of international professionals and policymakers across seven specialized Master’s programmes spanning international development, labour law, human rights, trade, and more.

To learn more about TSD’s programmes and how to apply, visit the TSD page. 

Watch the full event: