Palacký University in Olomouc presents
a new interdisciplinary programme
Law and Digital Technologies
About the programme
An interdisciplinary doctoral study programme focused on the complex interactions between law and digital technologies.
The programme is implemented by the Faculty of Law in cooperation with the Faculty of Science, Department of Informatics.
Academic degree awarded:
Ph.D.
Standard study time:
4 years
Form of study:
full-time (on-campus) and combined (off-campus)
Language of instruction:
English
Advantages
Interdisciplinary basis:
The programme is jointly guaranteed by the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Science, Department of Informatics.
Flexibility and variability:
From the second year, students choose their preferred elective modules.
Support and
multi-supervision:
In addition to the standard supervision team (main supervisor and co-supervisor, legal experts), students can benefit from cooperation with professional consultants - IT experts.
Coworking
and research HUB:
Opportunity to join the Junior research hub, a coworking center with modern facilities built in 2024.
Research focus:
Involvement in research projects, methodological skills courses, building research teams.
International character:
Cooperation with TalTech Law School (https://taltech.ee/), international internships as part of the program.
Supporting excellence:
StartUP grants, university grants, special scholarships for excellent results.
Benefits
We equip students to:
-
Participate in research projects dedicated to new technologies.
-
Participate in the creation of legislation, to put new measures into practice.
-
Carry out interpretation and consulting activities.
Our graduates gain:
-
Research and analysis skills within research projects and groups.
-
Experience in pedagogical process and implementation of training and professional courses.
-
Legal expertise in the field of digital technologies in public, national and international contexts, and within the private sector.
From the application to the Ph.D.
1.
Choose study
options
2.
Submit
application
3.
Check
admission status
4.
Register for
rogramme
5.
Study
1. WINTER SEMESTER Compulsory subjects: – Research Methodology and Academic Writing I – Legal Theory of Information Technology I – Information Technology for Law and Legal Science I – Public Law Aspects of Digital Technologies I SUMMER SEMESTER Required Courses: – Legal Theory of Information Technology II – Information Technology for Law and Legal Science II – Private Law Aspects of Digital Technologies II – EU Law and International Law Aspects of Digital Technologies – Scientific Activity and Preparation of Dissertation I
1st year
2. (2nd year student chooses at least 1 subject from compulsory elective subjects = Group I – modules) WINTER SEMESTER Compulsory subjects: – Research Methodology and Academic Writing II – Legal Theory of Information Technology III – Information Technology for Law and Legal Science III – Scientific Activity and Preparation of Dissertation II Compulsory electives – Group I courses (modules): – Private Law and Digital Technologies I – Public Law and Digital Technologies I – International Law and Digital Technologies I – EU Law and Digital Technologies I – Financial and Tax Law and Digital Technologies I SUMMER SEMESTER Required courses: – Publication Activity I – Teaching Activity I – Scientific Activity and Preparation of Dissertation III Compulsory elective courses – Group I (modules): – Private Law and Digital Technologies II – Public Law and Digital Technologies II – International Law and Digital Technologies II – EU Law and Digital Technologies II – Financial and Tax Law and Digital Technologies II
2nd year
3. (3rd year student continues to study the subject of the chosen module. During the 3rd–4th year, they also chooses at least 1 subject from the compulsory elective subjects of Group II) WINTER SEMESTER Compulsory subjects: – Publication Activity II – Teaching Activity II – Scientific Activity and Preparation of Dissertation IV Compulsory elective courses – Group I (modules): – Private Law and Digital Technologies III – Public Law and Digital Technologies III – International Law and Digital Technologies III – EU Law and Digital Technologies III – Financial and Tax Law and Digital Technologies III Compulsory elective courses – Group II (modules): – AI and Law SUMMER SEMESTER Compulsory subjects: – Publications Activity III – International Scientific Activity I – Scientific Activity and Preparation of Dissertation V Compulsory elective courses – Group I (modules): – Private Law and Digital Technologies IV – Public Law and Digital Technologies IV – International Law and Digital Technologies IV – EU Law and Digital Technologies IV – Financial and Tax Law and Digital Technologies IV Compulsory elective courses – Group II (modules): – Digital Rights and Digital Justice – Street-Law Project
3rd year
4. WINTER SEMESTER Compulsory subjects: – Publications Activity IV – International Scientific Activity II – Scientific Activity and Preparation of Dissertation VI Compulsory electives – Group II (modules): – AI and Law SUMMER SEMESTER Compulsory subjects: – Final Dissertation Seminar Compulsory electives – Group II (modules): – Digital Rights and Digital Justice – Street-Law Project
4th year
6.
Defend your
dissertation
7.
State
exam
8.
Receive
your Ph.D.
Interested in Studying
E-application
Applicants who have completed a master’s degree and passed the personal interview may be admitted to study. In the admission process we verify the relevant study prerequisites, level of knowledge in law and digital technologies, and the applicant’s readiness for scientific and creative activity.
Academic year:
2024/2025
Form of admission procedure:
personal interview
When to send your application:
Period between 30th April and 31st May 2024.
Applications for study are submitted electronically.
Interview date:
(TBC) in the week of 17th June 2024
Fee for e-application:
790 CZK
Conditions of admission:
Detailed information available HERE.
Study plan:
Tradition and prestige
Palacký University is one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the country. It is the second oldest university (founded in 1513) and is one of the three highest-ranked universities in the Czech Republic.
Values
The Faculty of Law was restored in 1991, when it was opened as the first post-revolutionary Faculty of Law in what was then Czechoslovakia. Its mission is to support and spread the values of freedom, democracy and civil society.
Why choose us?
Dynamic development
The Faculty of Law is one of the most dynamically developing universities providing legal education. In the thirty years of its modern history, it has managed to become one of the most renowned legal institutions not only in the Czech Republic but also in Central Europe. It offers modern and cutting-edge facilities for science and research, study and leisure activities.
Excellence
In legal research, it belongs to the top in the Czech and Slovak environment and has long been ranked among the most successful applicants for Czech and European grants. It supports student scientific activity and student involvement in research.
Contact
The faculty prefers smaller seminar groups, intensive teaching and individual approach. The curriculum of the doctoral programme provides for both frontal and consultative methods of teaching.
University town
Olomouc is a city with the second largest heritage area in the Czech Republic, where there are world-class science centers. Olomouc is referred to as a student city or the Czech Oxford. In the language of numbers, every fourth resident is a student. The prestigious tourist guide Lonely Planet ranks Olomouc among ten places worth visiting in Europe.
Proximity
Olomouc is located in the heart of Cental Europe, with excellent public transport connections. A short train ride near you can easily plan a weekend trip to Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest or Kraków.
Faculty in numbers
department
8
deans in modern history
6
students in accredited programme
1,779
employees
156
academic staff
105
study programme for graduates
2
master's follow-up study programme
2
programme and specializations of doctoral
studies in the Czech language
7
doctoral study programme
in English
2
fields in which rigorous proceedings can be held
14
projects supported by the Grant Agency
of the Czech Republic since 2000
48
books in the law library collection
31,601
options
∞
Science and Research
In the last five years, research teams and individuals at the Faculty of Law of the UP have significantly devoted themselves to issues of interaction between law and digital technologies. Research in this area has been supported by several projects funded by European and national providers. Topics related to the relationship between law and digital technologies were the subject of several international conferences and scientific events organized by the faculty in the recent period.
A research group focused on digital technology issues
The group, led by Ondrej Hamuľák, was established in 2020 as part of the project Creation, problems and limits of digital sovereignty of the European Union (GA CR). During their activity, the members of the group published more than 30 professional texts in indexed journals (Jimp, JSc) or foreign monographs. The subjects of their interest were issues of regulation and regulatability of digital space, so-called digital rights, protection of individual integrity in cyberspace, risks associated with artificial intelligence, etc. The group brings together senior and junior researchers from five countries.
The European Union and the Challenges of Modern project
The project European Union and the Challenges of Modern Society (legal issues of digitalization, robotization, cyber security and prevention of hybrid threats) implemented in 2019-2023 was funded by the European Commission under the Jean Monnet Networks programme. Olomouc Law School as coordinator led the international consortium (Palacký University, Comenius University in Bratislava, Heidelberg University, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Tallinn University of Technology). The project resulted in dozens of scientific publications, organization of international scientific events, networking of experts and deepening of discourse and interactions with the public.
Cooperation with Tallinn University of Technology
Department of Law, TalTech School of Business and Governance, Tallinn University of Technology is a key partner, a leading research facility in the field of law and digital technologies in the Baltic region. As part of the cooperation, several joint project plans were created. In 2021, the UP Faculty of Law participated in research for the global company BOLT, resulting in an analytical report: "Employment status of gig companies working force in EU/EEA Member States. One of the latest results of cooperation is the publication of a joint technical book Digital Development of the European Union. Springer, 2023. Currently, a team of experts from Olomouc participates in the international project ENDE – European Network on Digitalization and E-governance, which is focused on researching the digital transformation of the European Union from the perspective of political science, law, sociology, media studies and economics.
Selected Conferences & Workshops
OCTOBER 2023 | ENDE kick-off workshop APRIL 2023 | Jean Monnet Scientific Conference – European Union’s Response on the Challenges of Modern Society (Legal Issues of Digitalisation, Robotisation, Cyber Security and Effective Resilience of Hybrid Threats in the Light of European Law) MARCH 2023 | International Conference – Legal and Political Issues of Cyber Security and Fight against Disinformation in the Process of Integration of the Ukraine into the European Union DECEMBER 2022 | International Scientific Workshop – Perspectives on EU Digital Sovereignty OCTOBER 2021 | International Scientific Workshop – EU as Sovereign in Digital World – The Role of EU Law in the Regulation of Modern Technologies JUNE 2021 | International Conference – European Digital Single Market: the current and future challenges in the European Union law APRIL 2021 | Workshop –Competition Law in Digital Technologies FEBRUARY 2020 | Jean Monnet Network Workshop On Balancing –Cyber Security and Privacy Protection
Useful contacts
Address
Vice-Dean for Science and Research
JUDr. Ondrej Hamuľak, Ph.D.
Tel.: + 420 585 637 635
E-mail: ondrej.hamulak@upol.cz
Consulting hours:
Q&A consultation sessions for applicants of the doctoral programme 'Law and Digital Technologies' will be held by Dr. Ondrej Hamuľak, Vice Dean for Science and Research at the Faculty of Law, UPOL.
-
7th May 2024 | 10.00 CET
ZOOM meeting registration link HERE
Vice-dean for Doctoral Studies, Qualification Management and Finance
doc. JUDr. Michael Kohajda, Ph.D.
Tel.: + 420 585 637 613
E-mail: michael.kohajda@upol.cz
Consulting hours: to be completed
Contact person for questions
about doctoral studies
Bc. Michaela Šimonová
study department officer
E-mail: m.simonova@upol.cz
Tel.: + 420 585 637 660
Bc. Alice Tandlerová
study department officer
E-mail: alice.tandlerova@upol.cz
Tel.: + 420 585 637 688
