January 26-30, 2026
Call for applications: August 1– October 20, 2025
The Winter School on Digital Rights covers cross-sectoral dimensions related to the rights that are emerging from the access to and the use of data as well as digital services by multiple actors. It offers an integrated approach to innovation based on different methodologies, topics and areas involved in the legal field. The subject-matters include, among others, IT technologies and human rights, law & ethics of AI, AI and decision-making, data governance, the role of digital platforms, the transformation of labor, digital slavery, digital citizenship, the social impact of big data.
The impact of technologies on fundamental rights and democratic societies is as wide-ranging as it is multifaceted and fragmented. The School aims to cover cross-sectoral dimensions related to the rights that are emerging from the access to and the use of data and digital services by multiple actors. It offers an integrated approach to innovation based on different methodologies, topics and areas involved in the legal field. With a view of reconciling theoretical issues and practice at an interdisciplinary layer – involving Legal Philosophy, Legal Theory, Human Rights, IT Law, Private Law, Political Science and Sociology - the Winter School aims at drawing the attention of Master and PhD students to the most relevant issues related to technological innovation.
The broader objective is to make legal theory available for the analysis of societal issues, providing a legal and theoretical framework to understand the most relevant issues for the access, use, and sharing of information and data among private and public actors. The school also aims at orienting students towards specialized educational programs on legal theory and digital rights practice.
Given the relevance of the topics addressed, it represents a cutting-edge initiative for its interdisciplinary character as well as for its capacity to attract international students and an audience coming from various curricula.
Faculty
Costanza Margiotta, University of Padua
Xenia Chiaramonte, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Lorenzo Passerini Glazel, University Milano Bicocca
Amedeo Santosuosso, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS Pavia
Laura Drechsler, KU Leuven
Anne Christine Fornage, Univeristy of Lausanne
Giovanni Sartor, University of Bologna and European University Institute
Damiano Canale, Bocconi University
Devi Sacchetto, University of Padua
Mariavittoria Catanzariti, University of Padua
Federico Tomasello, University of Messina
Federica Casarosa, European University Institute
Nicola Ferro, University of Padua
Who is it for?
Applications are open to Master’s Degree Students who intend to pursue doctoral studies and PhD Students in Law; Human Rights; International Relations; Political Science; Philosophy; Sociology.
Topics
- The impact of Information Technologies on Fundamental Rights
- Data Protection and Information Security
- AI and Public Decision-Making
- Law and Ethics of AI
- The Right to Digital Memory
- Data Archives and the Right to Be Forgotten
- Data Governance and Data Regulation
- The Power of Platforms in the Digital Democracy
- Digital Labor
- Digital Citizenship
Learning outcomes for participants
The course aims at developing the capacity building of students in different areas of current transformations at the crossroads of Law and Innovation. It lasts one working week (5 days).
In order to stimulate interest in discussing topics, working in team and developing structured ideas within papers and oral presentations, lectures are structured into different sessions: theoretical lectures by experts, to provide an overview of literature, categories and emerging issues; practical laboratories carried out by lawyers, sociologists, philosophers and political scientists, where hypothetical cases are discussed with a problem-solving approach; seminars on specific topics; workshops that convey different approaches to digital rights to stimulate an integrated knowledge; roundtables following up lectures to summarize the main conclusions and special guests’ lectures; students’ presentations with a final discussion.
Credits
A Certificate of attendance will be issued at the end of the course.
Number of ECTS credits allocated: 2
The Program will admit 20 participants.
Fees
Students of VIU member universities:
€ 400 incl. VAT.
Students of other universities:
€ 800 incl. VAT.
The fees will cover tuition, course materials, lunches in the VIU cafeteria and social events.
Student participants will be responsible for covering their own travel expenses to and from Venice, accommodation, and local transportation.
VIU Alumni are eligible for a reduced fee.
PhD candidates and post-docs from universities in EU universities may be eligible for Erasmus+ mobility grant support. Candidates should consult the International Office in their own university for information about the calls for applications for funding as well as for possible scholarships. VIU will provide any supporting documentation requested for such applications. Contact VIU Erasmus office: erasmus@univiu.org
Applicants must submit the application form, a letter of motivation – which should include a brief description of the candidate’s research interests, a curriculum vitae and a photo.
For further information, please download the brochure or write to: summerschools@univiu.org
