Organisational Strategies & Organisational Strategies & Technology Platforms for Technology Platforms for

Postgraduate & Continuing Postgraduate & Continuing Education in ICT LawEducation in ICT Law

Joseph A. Cannataci Joseph A. Cannataci & &

Mireille M. CaruanaMireille M. Caruana

Law & IT Research UnitLaw & IT Research UnitCentre for Communication TechnologyCentre for Communication Technology

University of MaltaUniversity of Malta

Time-ManagementTime-Management

• The substantive part i.e. the The substantive part i.e. the presentation itselfpresentation itself

• LEFIS in MaltaLEFIS in Malta• LEFIS & BILETA (British & Irish Legal LEFIS & BILETA (British & Irish Legal

Education Technology Association)Education Technology Association)– BILETA2006 5-7 April 2006BILETA2006 5-7 April 2006

•Keynote Speakers – Lawrence Lessig, Jon Keynote Speakers – Lawrence Lessig, Jon BingBing

•70 Papers70 Papers•Very Special PricesVery Special Prices

– LEFIS Workgroup 8 April 2006LEFIS Workgroup 8 April 2006

Money makes the world go Money makes the world go round…round…• Perspective taken:Perspective taken:

– Economics of legal educationEconomics of legal education– Resultant impact of economics on old & new coursesResultant impact of economics on old & new courses– Resource management & redeployment of resourcesResource management & redeployment of resources

• Who is paying for existing courses?Who is paying for existing courses?• Will they survive?Will they survive?• What will new courses look like?What will new courses look like?• What role will be played by:What role will be played by:

– New Technology platforms for delivering educational New Technology platforms for delivering educational productsproducts

– EuropeanisationEuropeanisation– GlobalisationGlobalisation

• Will it simply be old wine in new skins Will it simply be old wine in new skins (bottles)?(bottles)?

From eccentricity to From eccentricity to mainstreammainstream

• ICT law is born as an academic disciplineICT law is born as an academic discipline– 1968 – Institutet for Rattsinformatikk –Stockholm1968 – Institutet for Rattsinformatikk –Stockholm– 1970-Institutt for Rettsinformatikk – Oslo1970-Institutt for Rettsinformatikk – Oslo– 1971-Universite de Montpellier- France1971-Universite de Montpellier- France

• 20 years of (imperfect) silence broken by lone rangers - 20 years of (imperfect) silence broken by lone rangers - – Germany - Munich Germany - Munich – German - BonnGerman - Bonn– Italy - MilanItaly - Milan– Italy - BolognaItaly - Bologna– Belgium - NamurBelgium - Namur– Netherlands - Erasmus Univ Rotterdam, Free University Amsterdam, Netherlands - Erasmus Univ Rotterdam, Free University Amsterdam,

• 15 years of explosive growth 1988-200315 years of explosive growth 1988-2003– 1988 – University of Malta1988 – University of Malta– 1988 – University of Liverpool1988 – University of Liverpool– 1990- University of Leuven1990- University of Leuven– Many othersMany others

Law & IT Research UnitLaw & IT Research UnitUniversity of Malta 1988-2006University of Malta 1988-2006

• ICT law taught atICT law taught at– Bachelors level (modules in 3 year course)Bachelors level (modules in 3 year course)– Masters level (modules in 2 year course)Masters level (modules in 2 year course)– Research theses levelResearch theses level

• Magister JurisMagister Juris• LL.D (Doctor of Laws)LL.D (Doctor of Laws)• PhdPhd

• Research ProjectsResearch Projects– Data ProtectionData Protection– Computer CrimeComputer Crime– Impact of new technologiesImpact of new technologies

A European stimulus?A European stimulus?

• Recommendation R(80)3 Council of EuropeRecommendation R(80)3 Council of Europe• Spurt & Discussion / Trial & Error PeriodSpurt & Discussion / Trial & Error Period

– Nelson reportNelson report– Belfast – LEXICAL at Queen’s UniversityBelfast – LEXICAL at Queen’s University– Jackson GroupJackson Group– BILETABILETA– LTCLTC

• Recommendation R(92) 15 Council of EuropeRecommendation R(92) 15 Council of Europe– Sweden – Peter SeipelSweden – Peter Seipel– Norway – Jon BingNorway – Jon Bing– Germany-Herbert FiedlerGermany-Herbert Fiedler– Italy- Ettore GiannantonioItaly- Ettore Giannantonio– UK-Richard JonesUK-Richard Jones

The Europe of 2003The Europe of 2003

• Proliferation of courses at Proliferation of courses at Undergraduate & Post-graduate levelUndergraduate & Post-graduate level

• Different intensitiesDifferent intensities– Widest in UKWidest in UK– Lowest in France, ItalyLowest in France, Italy

Winds of change: 1968-Winds of change: 1968-20042004

• Major shifts in post-war economic Major shifts in post-war economic models for funding of educationmodels for funding of education

• A lady called Margaret …& A lady called Margaret …& Thatcherite economicsThatcherite economics

• Euope of 9 becomes 25Euope of 9 becomes 25

• By 2003-2005 “no more pumping of By 2003-2005 “no more pumping of money into black holes in education”money into black holes in education”

Beating the United States…Beating the United States…

• Erasmus Mundus & funding Masters Erasmus Mundus & funding Masters coursescourses

• The October 2004 explosion…from 14 The October 2004 explosion…from 14 to 27 students (The Pacific Window)to 27 students (The Pacific Window)

• From 1 Billion to 3 Billion Euros in From 1 Billion to 3 Billion Euros in fundingfunding

• The context of the Bologna ProcessThe context of the Bologna Process

• Universities in consortiaUniversities in consortia

Issues for Organizational Issues for Organizational StrategiesStrategies• A question of resource managementA question of resource management• Human resources in ICT Law have increased since Human resources in ICT Law have increased since

1968…but expertise is still thin on the ground1968…but expertise is still thin on the ground• ICT Law has grown exponentially but the number ICT Law has grown exponentially but the number

of ICT Law specialists in Legal Education has not of ICT Law specialists in Legal Education has not grown proportionatelygrown proportionately

• The number of specialists in professional practice The number of specialists in professional practice has grown but remains a smallish grouphas grown but remains a smallish group

• The number of students both at undergraduate The number of students both at undergraduate and post-graduate level has mushroomed and the and post-graduate level has mushroomed and the proportion of specialists to students ranges from proportion of specialists to students ranges from non-optimal to inadequatenon-optimal to inadequate

Technology PlatformsTechnology Platforms

• From “chalk and talk” to avant-garde Educational From “chalk and talk” to avant-garde Educational TechnologyTechnology

• Database technologies in law: from delayed Database technologies in law: from delayed publication to free access on-line:publication to free access on-line:

the Malta experiencethe Malta experience• From passive to interactiveFrom passive to interactive

– Video-ConferencingVideo-Conferencing– DIPLODIPLO– IKONOSIKONOS

• On-lineOn-line• Wi-FiWi-Fi• Pod-castingPod-casting

Continuing EducationContinuing Education

• Diversity of CPD across EuropeDiversity of CPD across Europe

• CPD provision using technology CPD provision using technology platformsplatforms

• ICT law in CPDICT law in CPD

• What technology can offer to the busy What technology can offer to the busy professional for CPDprofessional for CPD

• CPD in mobility across Europe: an CPD in mobility across Europe: an opportunity?opportunity?

Case-study UK: ICT Law Case-study UK: ICT Law courses available on-line courses available on-line

• Undergraduate CoursesUndergraduate Courses– Univ of East London LLB by distance Univ of East London LLB by distance

learninglearning

• Post-graduate CoursesPost-graduate Courses– Univ of Strathclyde (ICT)Univ of Strathclyde (ICT)– Univ of London, Queen Mary (ICT)Univ of London, Queen Mary (ICT)– Univ of Edinburgh (ICT law & innovation)Univ of Edinburgh (ICT law & innovation)– Univ of Aberdeen (e-commerce law)Univ of Aberdeen (e-commerce law)

Case-study UK – CPD in ICT Case-study UK – CPD in ICT Law using distance-learning Law using distance-learning technologytechnology• E-CPD Law & technology (April 2006) E-CPD Law & technology (April 2006)

Univ of Edinburgh, School of LawUniv of Edinburgh, School of Law

• Univ of Bristol module CPD (but not Univ of Bristol module CPD (but not through distance learning)through distance learning)

Trends in funding, Trends in funding, Organisational Strategies & Organisational Strategies & Technology PlatformsTechnology Platforms• National recurrent indefinite fixed spend National recurrent indefinite fixed spend

on ICT Law teaching in decline (in real on ICT Law teaching in decline (in real terms)terms)

• National recurrent spend on ICT law National recurrent spend on ICT law teaching and research increasingly fixed-teaching and research increasingly fixed-term project driventerm project driven

• EU funding for ICT Law teaching & EU funding for ICT Law teaching & research increasingly project-driven and 3-research increasingly project-driven and 3-country (minimum) orientedcountry (minimum) oriented

• Most universities investing in distance-Most universities investing in distance-learning infrastructurelearning infrastructure

Convergence of Organisational Convergence of Organisational Strategies & Technology Strategies & Technology PlatformsPlatforms• Technology Platform enables delivery of Technology Platform enables delivery of

higher-quality courses through pooling of higher-quality courses through pooling of resources. resources.

• Specialists can be made more accessible Specialists can be made more accessible across regional and national bordersacross regional and national borders

• Where critical mass did not previously exist Where critical mass did not previously exist (staff-wise & student-wise) to justify creation of (staff-wise & student-wise) to justify creation of a course, technology enables resources to be a course, technology enables resources to be shared making new specialised courses both shared making new specialised courses both viable and possibleviable and possible

EU Strategies promote EU Strategies promote convergenceconvergence

• Bologna process greatly facilitates Bologna process greatly facilitates Universities to grant degrees jointlyUniversities to grant degrees jointly

• Funding programmes (eg. Mundus) Funding programmes (eg. Mundus) promotes granting of joint degrees across promotes granting of joint degrees across EUEU

• Although not always well understood in Although not always well understood in Brussels, technology platforms may be Brussels, technology platforms may be used to enhance new joint degreesused to enhance new joint degrees

• University of Malta involved in new ICT University of Malta involved in new ICT law degree creationlaw degree creation

Thank you for your attentionThank you for your attention

• Joe Cannataci Joe Cannataci joseph.cannataci@um.edu.mtjoseph.cannataci@um.edu.mt

• Mireille Caruana Mireille Caruana mireille@melita.netmireille@melita.net