Together with researchers from Bar-Ilan University and the University of Leeds Klaus Heine, Evert Stamhuis and Farshida Zafar have been awarded with a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence by the European Commission. In the next three years the researchers will work on the forefront of research on the impact of digitalization on law and society.
Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Robots, 3D-Printing, the Smart Factory or Autonomous Cars. These terms are all linked to the technological and social disruptions with which we are confronted at our workplaces, at home, at school, when we are buying something on the Internet or if we are considering casting our vote for a party in the ballot.
Which rules and norms are needed to enable Big Data and Artificial Intelligence to fully support our individual interests and help us make smart choices? And which constraints are needed to prevent Big Data and Artificial Intelligence to work to the detriment of society? To what extent is incumbent law still able to deal with digitalization on an accelerated pace? And which legal insufficiencies have to be bridged by new legal rules? In other words, one has to think about Digital Governance!
Digital Governance (DIGOV) is the name of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence that has been awarded by the European Commission to Erasmus School of Law, in conjunction with the Law School of the University of Leeds (UK) and the Law School of Bar-Ilan University (Israel). The Centre has started on September 1, 2019, and will be funded for three years within the framework of Jean Monnet Actions of the European Union.
Jean Monnet Centres of Excellence are awarded to outstanding research groups that have a visible societal impact. This is exactly what Erasmus School of Law is aiming at in its research strategy: Socially relevant research on an international scale. The award is also a recognition of Erasmus School of Law's leadership in the research of legal consequences of technological disruption.
In the framework of the Centre Klaus Heine, Evert Stamhuis and Farshida Zafar will organize topical conferences, workshops and a visiting scholar program aimed at providing a better understanding of how to shape legal designs that integrate Big Data and Artificial Intelligence more solidly into society. All fellows of the Centre will work on high-quality publications in their field of specialization of digital governance. Moreover, all fellows will engage in the creation of online teaching modules on digital governance that will be implemented at the three universities and will also be open to the public.
The team from Bar-Ilan University will be led by Oren Perez, who will be working with Ayelet Sela and Ittai Bar-Siman-Tov. Pinar Akman, accompanied by Nicolo Zingales and Konstantinos Stylianou, will lead the team from the University of Leeds. The Centre's administration is vested at ESL and will be supported by Marianne Breijer.
The international kick-off conference of the Centre will be held in January 2020. Stay tuned...
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For more information, please contact: Marianne Breijer, General Manager Rotterdam Institute of Law and Economics.