The Ethical Data Initiative (EDI), in partnership with the TUM Think Tank and the University of Exeter, is delighted to invite you to participate in our Annual Multi-Stakeholder Townhall Meeting. This event serves as a vital touchstone for our global community to reflect on our progress and co-create the roadmap for the year ahead. The event will be held at the TUM Think Tank, Munich School of Politics and Public Policy, Richard-Wagner-Straße 1, 80333 Munich, on Thursday, 12 March 2026.

The event and workshop will bring together selected experts, key partners and stakeholders to discuss the future of data ethics and ethical research and to collaboratively shape plans for our activities and community. The programme will include updates on ongoing EDI activities, as well as insights from leading data practitioners, global institutions, and policy networks.

As data-driven technologies become more deeply embedded in public and private infrastructure and research, the need for robust research governance and ethical oversight has never been more urgent. This Townhall serves as a critical forum for the RRI and data ethics community to move beyond theoretical frameworks and discuss how we can work together on the practical implementation of ethical standards.

Thematic Focus: Recommender Systems for Social Good

A central highlight of this year’s Townhall is our thematic focus on Recommender Systems for Social Good, led by Dr. Silvia Milano, EDI Munich Head of Research.

While personalisation is often framed as a driver of user engagement, it often prioritises commercial metrics such as retention and monetisation over individual autonomy and social well-being. Dr Milano’s work interrogates the “accuracy-first” culture of algorithmic design, advocating for systems that prioritise diversity, fairness, and user empowerment.

The conversation begins the day before the Town Hall with an intensive Workshop on Recommender Systems. We are delighted to announce that leading academics researching the sociological impacts of recommender systems, Prof. Dietmar Jannach and Prof. Alan Said, will join Silvia Milano to provide an overview of the workshop’s key outcomes and share critical insights with the wider community, facilitating a direct dialogue between technical research and governance practice.

Event Highlights and Agenda

The Townhall features a high-level program designed to attract stakeholders from academia, IGOs, NGOs, and the private sector:

• Keynote Address: We are pleased to welcome Jane Anderson and Hop Hopkins from Local Contexts, who will provide an indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage perspective on data rights and ethics.
• Partner Flash Talks: This session features updates from key EDI Partners, including the Research Data Alliance (RDA), the Declaration on Research Assessment (DoRA), the Leiden University Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS), the International Science Council’s International Data Policy Committee (IDPC) and the Italian National Supercomputing Centre (ICSC), offering a look at how ethical data and responsible research questions are being raised and dealt with across sectors and disciplines.
• Interactive Breakouts: Attendees will participate in focused consultations on the EDI pillars of Education, Engagement & Policy, and Research, ensuring that the roadmap for the coming year is co-created by the community.

A Community Opportunity

For those working in research governance, data ethics, and RRI, this Townhall is an opportunity to come together and share practical experience. By bringing together academic rigour with the practical experience of our partners, we aim to create a shared platform for discussing how to handle complex issues like privacy, accountability, and the “algorithms of choice”.

Coordinated by the University of Exeter and the TUM Think Tank at the Technical University of Munich, the EDI continues to expand its reach. Following our successful transition to a biannual Town Hall format, featuring our large-scale Spring Town Hall and our focused Autumn Virtual Workshop, we are excited to bring our community back together in person and online to strengthen the bonds that drive our mission forward.

How to Join Us

If you are not yet an EDI Affiliate but would like to become more involved in our community activities, we invite you to register as an EDI Affiliate here.

We look forward to welcoming you on 12 March as we continue our mission to foster a transparent, responsible, and human-centric approach to data.