The Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) are key for safeguarding fundamental rights, the integrity of democratic processes, and an innovative digital economy. However, their multilevel enforcement systems are intricate. Their legal framework is vague and full of gaps. The opacity and legal uncertainty risk undermining effective enforcement and, with it, basic EU values and competitiveness.
Addressing such risks is precisely the aim of our 3-year Jean Monnet Module, DigiForce – The Enforcement of EU Digital Regulation: Administrative and Constitutional Challenges, which is generously funded within the framework of the Erasmus+ programme (project 101240597).
Assembling an interdisciplinary team of experts in EU administrative law, digital regulation, and Law & Technology, DigiForce includes a teaching component (the DigiForce Programme) and a research component.
The Programme is open to participants from any country. It is aimed primarily at law students (bachelor’s and master’s students), PhD candidates or legal practitioners at the beginning of their career (within 10 years of completing a basic training in law). Other categories of participants may be considered, exceptionally and on a case-by-case basis.
The DigiForce Programme consists of four components.
- An in-person summer school, the core of the DigiForce Programme.
- After completing summer school, students may choose to follow additional classes on increasingly challenging topics.
- A short, specialised course on administrative enforcement of the DSA and AIA from the lens of Portuguese administrative law
- A webinar offered by PhD researchers from the Digital Public Sphere working Group of the European University Institute.
- In addition, throughout the year, students are warmly invited to attend online lectures on the enforcement of EU Digital Regulation within the framework of NOVA PEARL’s existing webinar cycle, “PEARL Talks”.
The DigiForce Summer School
The DigiForce Summer School takes place at NOVA School of Law, in Lisbon, and is free of charge.
The curriculum consists of four parts
- Part I: general introduction to key concepts of digital regulation, law and technology, and EU administrative law and governance.
- Parts II and III: building on the context laid out by Part I, these Parts dwell on the administrative enforcement systems of the AIA and DSA, respectively. Both begin by explaining the two systems and analysing them from the lens of multilevel administration theory and EU administrative law, then proceeding with classes focused on engaging debates around discrete constitutional challenges that the enforcement systems raise.
- Part IV: finally, and in addition to the common curriculum, the Summer Schools also include a masterclass by a leading expert on the enforcement of the DSA (2026) and the AI Act (2027).
We are delighted to announce our outstanding lineup of lecturers, all of them leading researchers in EU administrative law, fundamental rights, law & tech, digital regulation and artificial intelligence:
- Filipe Brito Bastos, DigiForce Coordinator, Director of NOVA PEARL and Associate Professor at NOVA School of Law
- Giovanni de Gregorio, PLMJ Chair in Law & Technology, Católica Global School of Law
- Giulia Gentile, Lecturer, University of Essex
- Lisette Mustert, Assistant Professor, University of Utrecht
- Marco Almada, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Luxembourg
- Maria Estela Lopes, PhD Candidate, European University Institute
- Mateus Correia de Carvalho, PhD Candidate, European University Institute
- Melanie Fink, Assistant Professor, University of Leiden
- Przemysław Pałka, Assistant Professor, Jagiellonian University of Krakow
- Rita Vieira Marques, PhD Candidate, NOVA School of Law
- Simona Demková, Assistant Professor, University of Leiden
- Vera Lúcia Raposo, Associate Professor with Aggregation, NOVA School of Law
The Summer School lasts for 9 days and takes place at the end of July. Concrete dates for the summer school and deadlines for application will be announced in due time. Besides enjoying the classes, students will have free time in the afternoon and during the weekend to explore Lisbon and its surroundings on their own.
Lisbon is a well-sought tourist destination in the summer, so students are encouraged to find their own accommodation as soon as possible.
For the full Digiforce Programme, please check the related page.
