IT Law Programme
The IT Law Programme at the University of Tartu is a research and study programme created in 2014 with the aim of producing highly qualified legal specialists in the field of information technology law (IT Law).
IT Law Programme:
- Trains highly qualified specialists in IT Law in the framework of Master’s and Continuing Education Programmes at the University of Tartu;
- Conducts research and participates in policy-making in the field of IT Law and digital economy;
- Organizes conferences, summer schools and competitions in the field of IT Law;
- Manages an IT Law Lab in order to use IT Law for innovation in the society;
- Manages a TechStartup Legal Clinic in order to provide the start-up community with legal services;
- Offers Traineeships and Student Fellowships in IT Law.
Why Study IT Law in Estonia?
The IT Law Programme prepares participating students for careers that demand an intricate knowledge about the law and legal methods applied in the fields of ICT and cybersecurity.
The Master’s programme (ending with an official advanced law degree, Master of Arts in Law) and the Continuing Education Programme in Information Technology Law (ending with a Certificate of Completion) are designed to provide both technical and practical legal skills for working as an IT lawyer.
For those who have a deep interest in conducting research at the highest academic level on a specific topic in IT Law, it is possible to write a dissertation in that area during your doctoral studies in Law (ending with the award of a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Law, PhD).
There are several features that make the IT Law Programme unique and competitive in the world.
- Knowledge and skills tested in practice throughout the year
We believe that a significant part of teaching in this programme should simulate real-life situations. Students gain access to 30 IT Law practitioners and IT specialists from around the world participating in the programme. As consultants, lecturers, or mentors, they synchronize the legal education with the technical developments in the ICT sector.
- Broad and comprehensive understanding of IT Law
We provide a systematic understanding of all major subfields of IT law as well as skills necessary for practicing in this area. Along with that, we create extensive links between technical, legal, and policy aspects of development and uses of ICTs, putting heavy emphasis on case studies, real-life exercises, trend assessments, and problem-solving.
- Strong emphasis on developing technical skills
Students will master a set of technical skills typically required in the ICT sector, e.g. elementary skills in programming, cryptography, database technology, and software engineering.
- Principle-based learning allowing practicing IT Law globally
Graduates will be ready to provide legal advice on ICT related matters across jurisdictions and work anywhere in the world. They will be able to perform interdisciplinary and comprehensive regulatory, analytical, and expert work in the field of IT Law, having all necessary skills to face the challenges posed by the extraterritoriality, novelty, and complexity of its problems.
- e-Estonia and cutting-edge developments in IT
Estonia is considered an international leader in the field of IT for its technological and legal solutions as well as population that is open to technological advancements: we provide access to its best practices and cutting-edge developments.
Impact
Graduates of the programme are information technology law specialists equipped with the necessary skills to successfully engage and excel in the process of legislative drafting as well as to conduct both analytical and expert work in matters related to ICT. This is achieved particularly thanks to a strong emphasis throughout the curricula on:
- Case-by-case research;
- Simulation of real-life situations;
- Evaluation of development tendencies;
- Problem centred approach.
The rapidly increasing importance and ubiquity of ICTs has created a concurrent need for lawyers adept at relevant technical matters in law firms, ICT companies, public agencies, international organisations, consulting firms and scientific institutions. The training of lawyers specialising in information technology law:
- Increases the number of top experts available on the labour market;
- Alleviates the shortage of IT specialists in different sectors of the Estonian economy;
- Improves growth opportunities for both IT companies as well as the legal sector and
- Enhances the quality of IT development projects initiated by the state via public procurement.
Input from the IT Law Lab managed by the IT Law Programme in cooperation with the Estonian Bar Association and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications along with the efforts of the scientific research branch of the programme combine to produce a significant amount of high quality academic and practical works in the field of IT law, increasing the capability of successfully executing research and development projects necessary for the continued evolution of Estonia’s IT sector.
Funding
The IT Law Programme of the University of Tartu conducts its activities in the framework of European Union Structural Funds programme “Increasing Digital Literacy” and is funded by the European Social Fund from 01.09.2015 to 31.08.2020.