Equitech Futures Institute Oxford

in collaboration with the

An immersive four-week tech leadership program

Oxford, UK | July 6 – August 3, 2025 | Applications closed for 2025

For undergraduate or gap-year students from any discipline (ages 18-24)

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Overview

Launching the next generation of Global Technology Leaders

Technology is profoundly shaping societies globally. The world needs a new generation of interdisciplinary leaders who can anticipate both the risks and the possibilities of emerging technologies, and use them to tackle pressing challenges from climate change to healthcare.

The Equitech Futures Institute in Oxford (EFI Oxford) will bring together aspiring technology leaders from around the world. Established as an extension of the Technology and Society Forum created in collaboration with the Rhodes Trust, EFI Oxford is a four-week intensive summer program in Oxford that will cultivate a network of future entrepreneurs, researchers, and civic leaders who are equipped to use emerging technologies to tackle global challenges.

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Why join this program?

Learning by Doing

Our curriculum focuses on experiential learning that blends live instruction with projects in small cohorts.

Global Community

Students in the Equitech Futures community come from more than 50 countries. Learning in collaboration with aspiring technologists and innovators from around the world provides unique perspectives on both tech and global challenges.

Individualized Mentorship

Students joining the Equitech Futures Institute will join a thriving global network of alumni and mentors who are dedicated to providing individualized mentorship for students at pivotal points in their careers.

Career Support & Planning

Equitech Futures provides ongoing career support for every student in the alumni network. Students receive support with graduate school applications, scholarship applications, and networked connections to discover the best career path.

Venture Support

At the Equitech Ventures studio, we have cultivated a deep talent network from more than 50 different countries. Alumni can participate in exclusive innovation challenges and gain access to mentorship as well as funding to explore their potential as founders.

Forums & Networking

Equitech Futures alumni have access to leading networks like the Rhodes Forum on Technology & Society as well as in-person Tech Futures Forums hosted by Equitech Futures. Additionally, all alumni are invited to year-long virtual programming with technology leaders.

A curriculum designed for technology leaders who want to tackle global challenges

To tackle complex global challenges in the 21st century, aspiring innovators need tools and perspectives that transcend traditional disciplinary silos. The Equitech Futures curriculum breaks down traditional disciplinary barriers and approaches technological education through three lenses:

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A Computational Lens

How can AI and data science be applied to tackle real-world problems?

A System Lens

How can governments, markets, and the social sector work together?

An Ethical and Societal Lens

How can we build technological solutions need to be human-centered and ethically sound?

The Equitech Futures Institute is designed to develop the interdisciplinary technological skills and build the global networks that emerging leaders need to tackle challenges of the future.

Excited to start? Take the first step towards joining the program.

Curriculum

What you’ll learn

Experience what it’s like to be part of an Equitech classroom.

Applied AI

Beyond the Code: Building with AI

This course provides you with a functional understanding of how to apply artificial intelligence tools in various domains. Unlike many courses that focus on developing AI algorithms, we will focus on how to deploy AI algorithms and the potential and risks associated with them. Whether you want to launch a startup, lead a nonprofit, work in policy, or pursue academic research, this will help cultivate an "AI architect mindset" that goes beyond understanding the mechanics behind algorithms. By the end, you will learn how to identify good (and problematic) use-cases for AI and be well-placed to create new companies, nonprofits, or policies using these novel tools. Covered topics include Introduction to Supervised Learning, Building AI Blueprints, Datafication, Applications in Healthcare, Applications in Education, and Applications in Climate and Environment.

Entrepreneurship Lab

Ideas in Motion: Build, Test, Launch

This course provides you with a practical understanding of how to apply entrepreneurial tools to bring ideas to life. Unlike many courses that focus on business theory or case studies, we will focus on how to actually build and validate ventures through hands-on experimentation and user-centric design. Whether you want to launch a startup, join an early-stage company, or innovate within an existing organization, this will help cultivate a "builder's mindset" that goes beyond understanding business fundamentals. By the end, you will learn how to identify promising opportunities and be well-placed to create and scale ventures using iterative development methods. Covered topics include Customer Discovery, Rapid Prototyping, User Testing, Business Model Design, and Go-to-Market Strategy.

Communicating Innovation

Craft Your Vision, Lead the Change

Strong leaders are effective communicators. They articulate visions for the future and motivate teams by fostering trust and engagement. Leaders also document their visions in writing, extending the life of the thought in ways that can be clarified, referenced, and shared. This course invites each scholar to hone their narrative as a future innovator. We will practice the range of storytelling, process, and feedback that position thoughtful leaders for success.

Societal and Ethical Perspectives on Technology

The Bigger Picture

The goal of these discussion-based seminars is to help you navigate vital themes at the intersection of technology and society. These seminars will give you the opportunity to hear from and interact with practitioners and experts working across a variety of fields. The seminars will help you explore the social implications of technological tools and the ethical implications of your work as innovators. You will learn to think deeply about a problem, inhabit multiple viewpoints, and analyze arguments across a range of source material. Previously covered topics include Building Human-Centered Technologies, Gender and Technology, The Politics of Automation, The Many-Headed Climate Monster, Intellectual Property Rights, and Public Trust in STEM.

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For more than a century, the Rhodes Trust has been bringing future leaders together in Oxford with a shared commitment to making positive change in the world. In recent years, we have worked with Equitech Futures to deliver the impactful Technology and Society events series, and I am excited to see their Futures Institute launching in 2025.

I look forward to seeing the positive impact in years to come of those who attend the EFI Oxford programme!

Sorina Campean

Director of Global Programmes and Alumni Engagement at the Rhodes Trust

Who is the program for?

We believe transformative innovators transcend disciplines and are not defined by test scores. Our ideal applicants are creative problem-solvers in the social sector who are highly motivated and persistent in the face of challenges. We want people who welcome collaborative spaces, who wear their talent with humility, who take responsibility for their own learning and growth, and who want to use their talents in the service of other people.

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Eligibility Criteria

Scholars must be at least 18 years of age but no older than 24 years of age on July 6, 2025.
Scholars may be enrolled in university study or on gap years.
We welcome applicants from all academic, professional, geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We particularly encourage women and individuals from underrepresented communities to apply for the Equitech Futures Institute Oxford.

Selection Process

Early Admission:

Applications for early admission have closed on February 16, 2025.
Finalists were invited for an interview with the faculty by February 28, 2025.
Early admission decisions were made by March 1, 2025.

Rolling Admission:

Applications for rolling admission close April 30, 2025.
Finalists will be invited for an interview with the faculty within two weeks of applying.
Final admission decisions will be made by May 15, 2025.

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Day in the life

8:00am

Breakfast at The Queen’s College

9:30am

Applied Artificial Intelligence at Reuben College

12:30pm

Lunch with members of your cohort in Oxford city centre

2:00pm

Entrepreneurship Lab at Reuben College

5:00pm

Social hour

6:30pm

Dinner at The Queen’s College

7:30pm

Evening social activities (hackathons, city walking tours, concerts in the park)

10:30pm

Homework and bedtime at The Queen’s College

Alumni impact

Discover Alumni Success Stories

Our alumni have gone on to land top internships, fellowships, and jobs in AI, policy, and entrepreneurship.

I was an English major, and now I work in tech. I wanted a space where I could learn data science and AI and figure out how to apply these tools to real-world problems. Equitech Futures was the perfect fit.

—

Montse Madrigal

Spain

Despite growing up near Silicon Valley, I did not study STEM in college. Yet I was always curious about how technology can be used to solve problems. Equitech Futures gave me the opportunity to learn data science and AI surrounded by a curious, supportive global community that really made me feel at home.

—

Oscar Tran

United States

Community

Creating a lifelong community of ambitious minds

At the conclusion of each program term, graduates are entitled to a Certificate of Completion and are welcomed to join the Equitech Alumni Network. This cross-cohort community of talented young innovators share opportunities, collaborate on shared research, and inspire one another. A few of the privileges of alumni status include:

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Continuing Education

Alumni from the Equitech Scholars Program are invited to monthly Leadership Labs with leading practitioners in tech and academia where open dialogue is encouraged. The network also supports career preparedness with workshops and mentorship opportunities.

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Regional Gatherings

We invest in opportunities for Equitech alumni to gather IRL during curated Tech Futures Forum retreats in different regions of the world. These events join our cohorts for interdisciplinary collaboration, networking, and shared research.

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Career Support

The Equitech Scholars curriculum provides excellent training for future careers in entrepreneurship, academia, or the social sector. Our goal is to provide you with varied perspectives and lenses to help you lead you to a career pathway that is best for you. Faculty have written letters of recommendation for alumni who make exemplary strides in their coursework.

Tuition & financial aid

$17,900

$7,900

With generous support from our philanthropic partners, we are offering a US $10,000 tuition scholarship to all selected candidates. The total tuition after scholarship is US $7,900.