Summer Courses

The Institute for Information law offers three Summer Courses each year:

International Copyright Law Summer Course:

Description of the course:
The face of copyright law changes continuously, mostly due to the constant evolution of the digital networked environment and the legislative initiatives at the international and European level.  As a result, copyright professionals must keep abreast of the applicable rules, including those deriving from the TRIPS Agreement, the WIPO Treaties and the various European directives in the area. The Institute for Information Law  organises an annual intensive post-graduate course on international copyright law.  At the conclusion of the course, participants will have gained valuable insight in the most crucial current issues of copyright law, examined from a comparative law perspective and in the light of recent international and regional agreements.  Participants in the course will also have access to comprehensive course material, consisting of the most relevant international, European, and American legislative documents, case law, and other background materials. The lectures are given by internationally renowned scholars, including those of the Institute for Information Law, and practitioners who all share years of academic and practical experience in the field of international copyright law.

Objectives of the course
Every seminar focuses on one specific issue of copyright law, which participants explore in depth with the lecturer. The course extends over a period of five days and is divided into nine seminars, given during morning or afternoon sessions. All lunch breaks are spent together as a group.

At the conclusion of the course, participants will have gained valuable insight in the most crucial current issues of copyright law, examined from a comparative law perspective and in the light of recent international and regional agreements. Participants in the course will also have access to comprehensive course material, consisting of the most relevant international, European and American legislative documents, case law, and other background materials. The lectures are given by internationally renowned scholars and practitioners who all share years of academic and practical experience in the field of international copyright law.

Privacy Law and Policy Summer Course:

Description of the course:
This week-long summer course will focus on privacy law and policy related to the Internet, electronic communications and online and social media, and on how businesses, governments and others can achieve their goals within this legal framework. Held in a historic building on one of Amsterdam’s most beautiful canals, the course will feature a distinguished faculty of European and American academics, regulators and practitioners who will, collectively, examine the topic from a transatlantic perspective. The course will employ a seminar format that promotes interaction between participants and faculty and allows for a deeper examination of the subject than is possible at most professional conferences. Enrollment is limited to 25 participants.

Objectives of the course:
At the conclusion of the course, participants will: (1) understand the latest developments in E.U. and U.S. privacy law related to the Internet, electronic communications and online and social media; (2) have insight into how these critical areas of privacy law and policy are likely to evolve in the future, and into the strategic and legal implications of these impending changes; and (3) possess a set of course materials containing the most current and relevant European and American legislative, judicial and regulatory documents in the area.

European Platform Regulation Summer Course:

Description of the course:
The EU is becoming a world leader in platform regulation. In this week-long summer course, we will offer a deep dive into the law and policy of the ground-breaking Digital Services Act, as well as other legislation aiming to reform the laws for online intermediation and the digital economy (e.g. the Digital Markets Act). Hosted in Amsterdam by the Institute for Information Law (IViR) and its DSA Observatory, the course will be taught by an international roster of leading experts, including academic specialists, legal practitioners, and professionals in government and in the non-profit sector.

Objectives of the course:
At the conclusion of this course, participants will be up to speed on key developments in the regulation of online platforms under EU law, covering a variety of different legal instruments and with a particular focus on the new Digital Services Act. They will have studied the legal substance of this regulatory framework, as well as its legislative history and the roadmap for its future implementation and enforcement. Participants will also have had the opportunity to expand their networks and connect with other professionals and experts in the field. In addition, they will receive access to a set of course materials containing current and relevant resources on platform law and regulation.