HVL professor David G. Hebert and judge Karan Choudary have collaborated before. Currently, Choudhary is in Bergen for a three-week research visit at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences before returning in September to formally begin his two-year stay with the MSCA fellowship. Photo: Mauricio Pavez
Mari-Louise Uldbæk Stephan
Head of Section
Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

HVL awarded prestigious EU scholarship

Karan Choudhary, who until now has been working as a judge in Delhi, India, has been granted the esteemed Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) postdoctoral fellowship. Together with HVL professor David G. Hebert, he will research legal challenges related to music, especially intellectual property issues generated by the rise and popularization of artificial intelligence.

The development of artificial intelligence poses significant challenges for individual musicians and the music industry as a whole. While technological possibilities are changing at a rapid pace, legislation is struggling to keep up.

Through the MSCA postdoctoral fellowship project, Legal Challenges posed by AI Generated Music, Karan Choudhary will explore the field from an interdisciplinary and global perspective.

Currently, Judge Choudhary is in Bergen on a three-week research visit at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences before returning in September to formally begin his 2-year stay with the MSCA fellowship (2025-2027).

Global challenges related to music and artificial intelligence

"In many respects, we are delving into a largely uncharted territory. In the project, we will compare developments and legislation in China, India, Norway, the USA, and the United Kingdom," says Choudhary.

Choudhary holds PhD degrees in Law from both Université Paris Nanterre and National Law University Delhi, and has collaborated with Hebert over time. Dr. Choudhary previously took one of Hebert’s PhD seminars and later contributed a chapter to one of his books. 

"Our prior collaboration has undoubtedly strengthened our MCSA application. Additionally, legal challenges related to music and artificial intelligence are a highly relevant topic worldwide," Hebert says.

The goal of the project is to provide recommendations to both policymakers and the music industry.

"Digital technology must be safe, equitable, and democratic. Through our research, we aim to contribute to the development of global solutions," says Choudhary.

Six applications from Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

The MSCA Fellowships are part of the European research framework program Horizon Europe, and are awarded to PhD students and postdoctoral researchers who wish to work abroad.

The pool of NOK 4.8 billion is distributed among 1696 postdoctoral researchers.

A total of 25 Norwegian institutions applied for the MSCA postdoctoral fellowships in this round.

  • 10 universities: 264 applications. 45 granted to 9 universities.
  • 7 universities of applied sciences: 18 applications. 1 granted (Dr. Choudhary at HVL).
  • 7 research institutes: 10 applications. 1 granted.
  • 1 health enterprise: 1 application. None granted.

— It is a great achievement for Western Norway University of Applied Sciences to have successfully passed the rigorous selection process of the Marie Curie program. This is important for strengthening our further efforts to collaborate with foreign researchers. Many societal challenges are also global, and we need cross-border research to address them, says the pro-rector for research, Christine Øye.

Previously, HVL has had three MSCA postdoctoral fellowships in various parts of the organization. These are Adam McElligott with Boris Balakin as supervisor, Miriam Schmaus with Edit Bugge as supervisor, and Kim von Schönfeld with Wendy Tan as supervisor.

Information about Prof. David G. Hebert and the GAME Research Group.