Course in Ethics in Auditing Military AI in Universities
Online 300-hour course in ethics in auditing military AI in universities. 6 modules covering the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (ALLEA, 2023), Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (dual-use items) and Zotero. Dedicated tutor and enrolment open.
Course in Ethics in Auditing Military AI in Universities — studying from Malta
Malta's defence sector is comparatively small, reflecting the country's neutrality and modest armed forces. Activity centres on the Armed Forces of Malta, maritime surveillance, border security and the associated technical support. Engineering roles are mostly found in equipment maintenance, communications, infrastructure and government procurement rather than large-scale defence manufacturing. Professionals may find opportunities through public service and contractors supplying the armed forces and related agencies, where reliability and compliance with national procurement rules are important.
Fees for Malta: €448 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Which bodies regulate defence and military engineering work in Malta?
Malta's Armed Forces and the Ministry responsible for defence oversee military engineering and procurement. General engineering practice is regulated by the Chamber of Engineers (KSU) under the Engineering Profession Act. Export and dual-use controls follow EU and national rules. A SEIUM qualification is private and not accredited, so any recognition depends on employers or the relevant authority.
What career paths exist in Malta for land systems and defence engineering?
Opportunities in Malta are limited and mostly within government, the Armed Forces and their suppliers, with more substantial defence industry work typically found abroad. Many roles require security clearance and specific experience. A private qualification can support your profile, but you should expect employers to focus on experience and clearance eligibility.
How do I study this from Malta, and what should I consider about workload and funding?
The programme is delivered fully online in English, with an assigned technical tutor and a final project. You do not need a visa to study from home in Malta. Durations range from 300 to 1,900 hours, so plan time alongside any work commitments. Ask about instalment payments and whether employer sponsorship is available.
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 relationship between universities, defence and artificial intelligence.
Analyse models of university ethical governance.
Apply dual-use controls to research projects.
Audit a research project against research integrity criteria.
Identify technical and reputational risks in AI research.
Design institutional accountability mechanisms.
Prepare a university ethics audit report.
Who it's for
- Research ethics manager who wants to specialise in Ethics in Auditing Military AI in Universities.
- Knowledge transfer officer who wants to specialise in Ethics in Auditing Military AI in Universities.
- Dual-use compliance officer who wants to specialise in Ethics in Auditing Military AI in Universities.
- Ethics committee secretary who wants to specialise in Ethics in Auditing Military AI in Universities.
- AI ethics researcher who wants to specialise in Ethics in Auditing Military AI in Universities.
- University internal auditor who wants to specialise in Ethics in Auditing Military AI in Universities.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter universities.
What you'll work with
- European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (ALLEA, 2023)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (dual-use items)
- Recommendation (EU) 2021/1700 (compliance programmes in dual-use research)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/695 (Horizon Europe)
- Law 14/2011 on Science, Technology and Innovation
- Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR)
- ISO/IEC 42001:2023
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Historical relationship between universities and defence1.2AI research funded by defence1.3European Defence Fund and Horizon Europe1.4National defence R&D programmes1.5Dual-use nature of AI research1.6Academic freedom and social commitment1.7Positions of European universities1.8Military research exclusion clauses1.9Debate within the research community1.10Case study: analysis of a university's research policy
2.1Research ethics committees2.2Code of good scientific practice2.3Ethics assessment in Horizon Europe2.4Commission guidance on research of misuse concern2.5Scientific integrity and conflicts of interest2.6Transparency in funding2.7Participation of students and doctoral candidates2.8Researcher conscientious objection2.9Whistleblowing and protection mechanisms2.10Workshop: designing an ethics review procedure
3.1Inventory of AI projects with military application3.2Ethical audit criteria3.3Review of proposals and agreements3.4Misuse risk assessment3.5Data and consent audit3.6Information and knowledge security3.7Export control in laboratories3.8Responsible publication and dissemination3.9Monitoring throughout the project3.10Practical exercise: auditing an agreement with a defence company
4.1Bias in academic datasets4.2Reproducibility of AI results4.3Model release and open source4.4Dual-use models and foundation models4.5Research on adversarial attacks4.6Computer vision and person recognition4.7Data protection in research4.8Security of computing infrastructure4.9Technology transfer and patents4.10Laboratory: assessing the risks of releasing a model
5.1Public reporting on sensitive research5.2Relationships with funders and companies5.3Participation of the university community5.4Ethical compliance indicators5.5External and independent audits5.6Public communication and reputation5.7International collaborations and risks5.8CRUE standards and quality agency rules5.9Lessons from international cases5.10Case study: institutional response to a controversy
6.1Selection of the institution or group6.2Map of projects and funders6.3Audit criteria and plan6.4Review of ethical procedures6.5Risk assessment per project6.6Findings and recommendations6.7Proposal for institutional policy6.8Follow-up plan6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and a dedicated technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake, making it easy to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Zotero, NVivo, advanced Excel, Microsoft Power BI, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Case studies are based on real audit procedures for a funded research project, a review by an ethics committee and dual-use case analysis. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Describe the relationship between university, defence and artificial intelligence.
Analyse models of university ethical governance.
Apply dual-use controls to research projects.
Audit a research project against research integrity criteria.
Identify technical and reputational risks in AI research.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
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 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
The course uses Zotero, NVivo, advanced Excel and Microsoft Power BI. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the open-source alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. This is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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