As it becomes increasingly clear that there is a need for neutrality in digital systems that are determining accessibility, behaviour and opportunities, there is a consequent growing need for professionals who both develop technology and critically evaluate it. For example, how can companies use AI responsibly in recruitment without unintentionally excluding people? Or how can the pressure on healthcare be alleviated while protecting people's privacy and preventing bias in algorithms?

The new programme line – housed at the UvA’s Faculty of Science – addresses this by combining technical knowledge with critical thinking about people, technology and society.

‘Technology is developing faster than our ability to understand its consequences,’ says Sennay Ghebreab, programme director of the Master's in Information Studies and closely involved in this new line. ‘We need professionals who can not only develop systems but also question, anticipate and shape their impact.’

From building to understanding and steering

In the new programme line, the Bachelor’s Information Science and the Master’s in Information Studies are explicitly linked around a single shared premise: technology in context.

‘While programmes like Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence focus primarily on systems and algorithms, this line focuses on how information and data are used and what impact that has on people and society,’ says Ghebraeb. ‘It is not just about what algorithms are capable of, but about what they actually do and who takes responsibility for it.’

In addition to technical skills, the programme will therefore have a strong focus on questions such as: why is a system built, for whom, and what effects does it have in practice? How do people interact with technology, and how do you design systems that are effective, ethical and inclusive? This questions run throughout the entire curriculum.

From university to society

The new programme line aligns with years of UvA research into the relationships between people, technology and society. Students will work on current issues such as the use of algorithms in public service, the reliability of generative AI, digital exclusion, and the question of how technology can be designed to be more transparent and human-centered.

‘Many students want to “do something with AI”, but above all, something that matters,’ says Ghebreab. ‘We give them a solid technical foundation and the tools to steer technology in the right direction.’

The new programme line will start at the beginning of the next academic year (2026-2027).