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PUSHING THE PROFESSION FORWARD
Spearheaded by Fordham GSS Professor Lauri Goldkind, Ph.D., an interdisciplinary initiative at Fordham University is shaping the future of public interest technology (PIT). At a recent meeting, Goldkind and her collaborators unveiled a beta version of the nine competencies they’ve developed since the project began in November 2023. This ambitious framework is designed to prepare university graduates for the ethical and societal challenges of the evolving digital age.
The project, Building Inclusive Public Interest Technology Learning Competencies, was launched with a $178,000 grant from the 2023 PIT-UN Network Challenge. Working in collaboration with ethical technology advocacy partner All Tech Is Human, and industry fellows from across IBM, the group’s charge is to bridge the gap between academia and industry, ensuring that students graduate with technical skills alongside a strong foundation in ethics, equity, and social responsibility.
Defining the Core of Public Interest Technology
The comPITencies are centered on a critical question: What should students know and be able to do before entering the workforce as public interest technologists? The competencies answer that question and offer a structured yet adaptable framework that can be integrated into both new and existing curricula within higher education.
Drawing inspiration from social work education—where students must also demonstrate core competencies before entering the field—the PIT competencies aim to establish a common language for what it means to be a responsible Public Interest Technologist. Goldkind emphasized that these competencies are not just theoretical; they are grounded in real-world application, ensuring students can navigate ethical dilemmas and advocate for responsible technology practices throughout their careers.
“Inclusivity is a core value of what a public interest technologist should hold dear: equity, access, and participation at the table,” Goldkind said. “We shape assignments and readings around these principles, giving students multiple touchpoints [of engagement].”
The framework began as a “laundry list” of values and skills, ranging from accessibility to open-mindedness. Over time, the team refined these into a set of guiding principles that underpin nine core competencies, each emphasizing the intersection of technology, ethics, and societal impact.
Building an Adaptable Framework for Public Interest Technologists
A key challenge in developing these competencies has been ensuring they are flexible enough to apply across disciplines and at different degree levels. Just as social work students gain exposure to legal and policy issues without a single course being the sole “keeper” of that content, the PIT competencies are embedded throughout a student’s academic journey, building upon one another.
The competencies will also evolve as technology does. As new innovations emerge, the goal is to equip students with an adaptable skill set—one that allows them to raise critical ethical questions, regardless of whether they enter civil service, corporate tech, or nonprofit advocacy.
“The toolkit in tech might change,” Goldkind said, “but we’re grounded in the real-life things that matter. How can we teach students to adapt their toolkits to what’s going on?”
Goldkind and her team want students to complete the iPIT curriculum with a solid foundation in ethics and the confidence to challenge industry norms. The competencies produce graduates who can critically assess the role of technology in society and push for accountability in an industry often driven by profit over public good.
The pilot version of the competencies’ release marks a significant milestone, but the work isn’t over. Goldkind and her team will test the framework, gather feedback, and refine it to ensure it meets the needs of both educators and industry leaders.
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