Digiforce Programme
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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 between the 21st and 30th of July. If you wish to apply, you may do it here, until the 17th of April (for all the information concerning the applications, please check our page). 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.
Digiforce Summer School Follow-up Course: the Perspective of Portuguese Law
The summer school curriculum adopts a European perspective. Building on that curriculum, DigiForce will provide complementary specialised training to Programme participants keen to learn about the enforcement of the DSA and AIA under Portuguese administrative law. This will be a five-hour online course in Portuguese.
The follow-up course includes an excellent lineup of lecturers:
- Filipe Brito Bastos, DigiForce Coordinator, Director of NOVA PEARL and Associate Professor at NOVA School of Law
- Rita Vieira Marques, PhD Candidate, NOVA School of Law
- Mateus Correia de Carvalho, PhD Candidate, Europeia University Institute
- Maria Estela Lopes, PhD Candidate, European University Institute
- Domingos Soares Farinho, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Laws of the University of Lisbon
- Rui Tavares Lanceiro, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Laws of the University of Lisbon
Digital Public Sphere Working Group Webinar
The participants will also have the chance to further study the complex themes addressed in the Programme by attending a webinar organised by PhD researchers of the Digital Public Sphere Working Group.
The Digital Public Sphere Working Group is a research group of the European University Institute, centred around the impact of data and technologies in Public Law.
It is one of the leading forums of discussion surrounding themes of Digital Regulation, organising several and events every year. As such, attendance of the Webinar is strongly encouraged, as it will provide the participants with unvaluable insights regarding the themes of the Programme.
Aimed at the general public, this webinar series proposes to discuss key aspects and current challenges of Regulatory Administrative Law at the EU and national level. The webinars occur throughout the academic year, and are a unique opportunity to listen to prominent academics and experts talk about issues of EU Digital Regulation.
Its typical format consists of a one-hour session where a speaker gives a presentation, followed by comments from two discussants, and Q&A.
