FTL 2026 Programme
22-26 July 2026, Cumberland Lodge, Windsor
Applications closed on 31 May 2026. Applications for FTL 2027 open in September. Register your interest on our homepage to join our waiting list.
The 2026 leadership programme invites high school students into conversation with academics, policy makers, and industry leaders in law, healthcare, technology, and financial services about the big global challenges facing their generation.
Learning will take place in workshop-style settings, with delegates hearing from the experts before collaborating on practical tasks based on real-world scenarios in their fields. Delegates will also chair panel discussions, interview experts, present to their peers, and participate in roundtable discussion.
Newly confirmed:
Dr Tess Johnson (Oxford)
Dr Tess Johnson is a Senior Researcher in the Ethics of Pandemic Preparedness, Surveillance, and Response at the University of Oxford’s Pandemic Sciences Institute and Ethox Centre. Her research examines the ethical challenges posed by emerging infectious diseases, public health interventions, disease surveillance, and global biological risks, with a particular focus on how governments can balance individual freedoms against collective safety during health emergencies. She has published widely on pandemic ethics, antimicrobial resistance, and public health policy, and her work has helped inform discussions on preparedness and response at both national and international levels. Her FTL 2026 workshop will explore the ethical and political trade-offs involved in preparing for future pandemics.
Newly confirmed:
Dr. John Danaher (Galway)
Dr John Danaher is an Associate Professor in the School of Law at the University of Galway, where he researches the ethical, legal, and social implications of emerging technologies. He is the author of Automation and Utopia: Human Flourishing in a World Without Work and has published widely on AI ethics, technological unemployment, and the opportunities and challenges posed by increasingly intelligent machines. His FTL 2026 workshop will explore the opportunities and risks of the AI revolution for the future of work role of work and how societies might adapt to a future in which intelligent machines perform an increasing share of human labour.
Other experts so far confirmed…
Dr Ben Brindle is a researcher at Oxford University’s Migration Observatory. He is the author of numerous articles and policy briefings on the economics of migration. Prior to joining the Migration Observatory, Dr Brindle worked for the UN’s International Organisation for Migration, where he helped produce its biannual World Migration Report.
Dr Cosima Gretton is Executive Director of Digital Health and Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Our Future Health, a tech start-up aiming to improve health for millions of people across the UK. Her workshop will focus on the social and ethical implications of using big data to improve health outcomes across populations.
Jaya Baloo has led national-level cyber resilience strategies and advised governments, boards, and international organisations on critical infrastructure protection. She was named by Forbes as one of the 100 Women Founders in Europe To Follow in 2018, and in 2025 she co-founded AISLE, an AI-native cybersecurity start-up.
Lavinia D Osbourne is an award-winning blockchain and Web3 leader, winner of the Women in Tech 100 and founder of Crypto Kweens. She made legal history in 2023, when the High Court ruled that her stolen Boss Beauties NFTs were legal property, securing the future of blockchain as a store of value. Lavinia’s FTL workshop will focus on how to use blockchain to promote UN sustainability goals.
Prof. Quassim Cassam is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick. Prof Cassam’s research centres around the epistemology and political philosophy of trust, fake news, and post-truth culture. He has recently explored these themes in his book on Conspiracy Theories, which will form the springboard for his FTL 2026 workshop.
Prof. Joseph Connor is Honorary Professor of Computer Science at University College London, and co-founder of CarefulAI. He helps governments and businesses mitigate the risks of AI in their supply chains, especially in healthcare. Prof. Connor’s FTL 2026 workshop will focus on whether AI labs currently have too much power compared to sovereign governments.
Dr P.J. Blount is an Assistant Professor in the Durham Law School, University of Durham. He is frequently asked to give expert testimony on space by policymakers, including before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Space. Dr Blount’s FTL 2026 workshop will focus on the exploitation of space by governments and corporations and its implications for security and global governance.
Laurie Laybourn is Executive Director of the Strategic Climate Risks Initiative and Advisor to the UK Climate Change Committee. His workshop will help delegates reimagine policy responses to climate change by challenging “success or failure” narratives, which he argues are redundant now that the world is certain to surpass 1.5°C of warming.
Dr Miri Zilka is an Assistant Professor in Responsible Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge, where she researches the use of artificial intelligence in high-stakes areas including criminal justice and social care. Her FTL 2026 workshop will explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the justice system, including informing decisions about crime, policing, and punishment.
About Cumberland Lodge
Cumberland Lodge is the former official residence of the Ranger of Windsor Great Park, an office currently held by His Majesty King Charles III. It is now an educational charity that exists to empower young people to lead the conversation around social division. It regularly plays host to university departments, legal and medical training bodies, and many other public and private sector organisations.
Full-board accomodation
Full-board accommodation is provided on site. Each room is equipped with an en-suite bathroom and Wi-Fi. Delegates will be paired up with a roommate based on their interests, providing the opportunity for further discussion and lasting friendships. While we encourage delegates to share rooms, single rooms may be available on request.
Workshops
Day 1: Trust
Health Data
Cybersecurity
Democracy and “Post-Truth”
Confirmed Experts: Dr Cosima Gretton, Jaya Baloo, & Prof. Quassim Cassam
Day 2: Justice
AI in the Justice System
Space Law
Robot Tax
Confirmed Experts: Dr Miri Zilka, Dr PJ Blount, & Dr John Danaher
Day 3: Power
Big Tech and the State
Global Fragmentation
Blockchain and Decentralisation
Confirmed Experts: Lavinia D Osbourne & Prof. Joseph Connor
Day 4: Planet
Climate Diplomacy
Pandemic Preparedness
Migration
Confirmed Experts: Laurie Laybourn, Dr Tess Johnson, & Dr Ben Brindle
Day 5: Capstone
Delegate Panels
Team Projects
Essay Competition Awards and Prizegiving
Programme size
Cohort size is limited to thi, so delegates will get the chance to see up close how today's thought leaders approach the issues that matter.
To apply
Applications closed on 31 May 2026. Applications for FTL 2027 open in September. Register your interest on our homepage to join our waiting list.
Travel
Cumberland Lodge is a 25-minute taxi ride from Heathrow airport and a 50-minute drive from central London. The nearest train station is Egham. Help with transfers for international delegates is available on request.
Further information
