Diploma in AI Ethics in Defence (UN/NATO)
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in AI ethics in defence (UN/NATO), structured in 8 modules covering defence AI applications, AI ethics, the UN debate on autonomous systems, NATO and EU frameworks, IHL, trustworthy AI engineering and governance, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in AI Ethics in Defence (UN/NATO) — studying from Ireland
Ireland maintains a small defence force, the Defence Forces, which operates its own engineering corps and equipment maintenance capabilities. Defence procurement and development are handled through the Department of Defence, while much of the wider defence-related industrial activity involves dual-use technologies, electronics and communications systems supplied by domestic and international firms. Engineers in this area typically work on land vehicle maintenance, military communications, protective equipment and systems integration. Policy and procurement are governed by national and European frameworks, including EU defence initiatives.
Fees for Ireland: €1,790 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Which Irish bodies oversee defence engineering and does a private qualification count?
Defence in Ireland is overseen by the Department of Defence, and the Defence Forces run their own training and technical structures. Engineers Ireland sets general professional engineering standards. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not state-awarded, and they are not accredited by any national body, so recognition for any defence-related role is decided by the relevant authority or employer.
Do Irish defence and land-systems employers hire people with private online qualifications?
Irish defence-related hiring is limited and often subject to security vetting and specific qualification requirements, so employers set their own criteria. A private online qualification may be taken into account alongside experience, but we cannot say how any employer will view it or guarantee any result. Check requirements for particular roles directly.
Can I study this from Ireland while working, and what is the workload?
Yes, the programme is 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from home without travel or a student visa. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and specialist courses 300. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible. Plan your weekly hours realistically around your job.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Describe the applications of AI in defence.
Apply ethical frameworks to AI systems.
Analyse the United Nations debate on autonomous systems.
Interpret NATO's principles on responsible AI.
Assess AI systems in the light of IHL.
Apply trustworthy AI engineering practices.
Propose governance and confidence-building measures.
Who it's for
- AI ethics advisers.
- Trustworthy AI engineers.
- Defence policy analysts.
- IHL legal advisers.
- AI systems auditors.
- Data governance managers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the defence sector.
What you'll work with
- NATO Principles of Responsible Use of AI (2021) (allied principles for defence AI)
- General Assembly Resolution A/RES/78/241 (lethal autonomous weapons systems)
- UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI (2021) (global ethical framework for AI)
- Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, Art. 36 (legal review of new weapons)
- ISO/IEC 42001 (AI management systems)
- ISO/IEC 23894 (AI risk management)
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (EU Artificial Intelligence Act)
- Python with PyTorch
- IBM Adversarial Robustness Toolbox
- SHAP
- MLflow
8 modules
1.1Machine learning and deep learning1.2Applications in logistics and maintenance1.3Decision support and intelligence analysis1.4AI-enabled cyber defence1.5Systems with autonomous functions1.6Generative AI in the military domain1.7National AI strategies in defence1.8Technology race and stability1.9Humanitarian uses of AI1.10Case study: AI in the logistics of a peacekeeping operation
2.1Ethical principles of AI2.2Autonomy, agency and responsibility2.3The responsibility gap2.4Human dignity and life-or-death decisions2.5Fairness and algorithmic bias2.6Transparency and explainability2.7Calibrated trust2.8Ethics of automation2.9Contemporary philosophical perspectives2.10Practical: ethical analysis of a decision-support system
3.1Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons3.2Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS3.3The 2019 Guiding Principles3.4General Assembly resolutions3.5ICRC position on autonomous weapons3.6UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI3.7Proposals for a binding instrument3.8State positions3.9Civil society and campaigns3.10Case study: analysis of a GGE report
4.1NATO AI Strategy4.2Principles of Responsible Use4.3Data and AI Review Board4.4Responsible AI certification4.5Interoperability among allies4.6The EU AI Act and its military exclusion4.7European Defence Fund and ethics4.8Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use4.9Comparison of national guidelines4.10Practical: applying the NATO principles to a case
5.1Distinction and automatic recognition5.2Proportionality and damage estimation5.3Feasible precautions5.4Article 36 legal review5.5Meaningful human control5.6Predictability and reliability5.7Command responsibility5.8Individual criminal responsibility5.9State responsibility5.10Case study: legal review of a recognition system
6.1AI system life cycle6.2Training data governance6.3Testing, evaluation, verification and validation6.4Robustness against adversarial attacks6.5Technical explainability6.6In-service monitoring6.7AI management systems6.8AI risk management6.9Model documentation6.10Lab: robustness assessment of a classifier
7.1Confidence-building measures7.2Export control of AI technologies7.3Strategic stability and escalation7.4AI in nuclear command and control: the debate7.5Ethics training for personnel7.6Industry participation7.7Dialogue with civil society7.8Future scenarios7.9Policy recommendations7.10Practical: proposal for confidence-building measures
8.1AI system analysed8.2Context of use8.3Applicable UN and NATO framework8.4Ethical analysis8.5IHL analysis8.6Technical trustworthiness assessment8.7Governance proposal8.8Conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with your tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme is compatible with full-time work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Python with PyTorch, IBM Adversarial Robustness Toolbox, SHAP and MLflow, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied on real procedures from robustness assessment of AI models, analysis of GGE documents on LAWS and legal review of decision-support systems. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final project.
Standards covered: NATO Principles of Responsible Use of AI (2021), General Assembly Resolution A/RES/78/241, UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI (2021), Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions (Art. 36), ISO/IEC 42001, ISO/IEC 23894, Regulation (EU) 2024/1689.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Python with PyTorch, IBM Adversarial Robustness Toolbox, SHAP and MLflow, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the programme software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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