Are you looking for thorough and detailed courses that will give you guidance on the topic of law as a code? Then, enroll in our latest course about it and learn everything you are looking for in order to boost your knowledge on the subject! Keep reading for more details.
Cécile Guasch and Aruna Popescu shared their views on the importance and relevancy of the "Understanding Law as a Code" course.
Cécile explains that the course aims to raise awareness of the concept and applications of Law as Code at the European Union level and that many initiatives and discussions surrounding Law as Code are already taking place, but there's a need to promote an overarching understanding of the subject-matter. By streamlining views on Law as Code, a common ground for its implementation is fostered. Additionally, "this course is aligned with the digital-ready policymaking goals. Digital-ready policymaking requires a mindset change whereby digital considerations are taken into account as early as possible in the policymaking process. This change in perspectives is also a precondition of Law as Code. Policymakers need to recognise that technology and digital aspects are integral to modern law-making."
Right now, a course on "Understanding Law as Code" is extremely relevant as the topic at hand is truly significant. As Aruna said: "this topic has the potential to usher in a new paradigm of law-making. Around the globe, governments, academic institutions, and other stakeholders are actively experimenting with the transposition of legal rules into machine-readable code. This could transform the entire lifecycle of legislation, improving the way in which this is produced, made available, and, subsequently, implemented." She also explained that within the Commission, there is a similar surge in enthusiasm. In fact, there have already been taken notable steps to raise awareness on this specific topic. Not just one, but two webinars dedicated to Law as Code and Digital-Ready Legal Drafting have already been organised. Aruna also added that "Most recently, we have explored this during the SEMIC 2023 Conference with panels on 'AI in Digital-Ready Policy Design and Legal Drafting' and on ‘Digital-Ready Policymaking and Law as Code'. Going forward, we would like to capitalise on this momentum and continue the discussion on Law as Code. To this end, we have created this course to serve as an accessible entry point for anybody with an interest in the matter."
This course is especially designed for IT professionals as well as policy officers and lawyers. IT professionals can benefit from this course because, as Cécile put it "In the realm
of policymaking, there is a common tendency for different stakeholders to work independently. By providing IT professionals with a deeper understanding of the intersection between law and technology, this course has the potential to effectively break down these silos, foster collaboration across diverse areas of expertise and ultimately reduce the gap between laws and their implementation. In today's digital world, working in multidisciplinary teams is essential". When it comes to the policy officers and lawyers, Aruna believes that this course is ideal for them, as, in her words, it provides a valuable perspective on what the law-making process may look like in the future. Throughout history, laws have been written in human-readable languages. However, as we transition from ‘paper’-based approaches to more technologically innovative solutions, this may no longer hold true. She built on that by saying "Proponents of Law as Code argue that rules should be simultaneously drafted in both code and natural languages. As Cécile pointed out, ensuring the success of this process would require multidisciplinary collaboration during the design and drafting of policies. Thus, the concept of Law as Code is just as pertinent for lawyers and policymakers as it is for IT profiles!".
As the development of this course was extremely pertinent, there are several benefits and key points for all learners that will enrol and complete it. Firstly, the course provides participants with an overarching understanding of Law as Code. This means that it offers a clear account of what Law as Code entails, the context in which it emerged, and its relevance for digital-ready policymaking. Secondly, the course outlines the potential advantages of adopting a Law as Code approach. Here, the course explains how Law as Code could transform policymaking and public service delivery. Aruna also highlighted that "the course covers the practical implementation of Law as Code, touching upon semantic aspects, standards, and solutions. Given that all endeavors have their challenges, we also make it a point to address potential stumbling blocks. These include the ethical and legal concerns occasioned by automatic decision-making systems. Overall, participant should look forward to a well-rounded learning experience that allows them to “dip their toes” into a multitude of pertinent issues."
Both Aruna and Cécile believed that the course should be published under the Interoperable Europe Academy because, as Cécile pointed out, the truth of the matter is that, without interoperability, the full potential of Law as Code applications would remain untapped. As it is explained in the course, semantic interoperability is an essential prerequisite of machine-readable legislation. As such, there is no better place to position this course than under the umbrella of the IOPEU Academy. Cécile complimented that by adding that "Furthermore, the IOPEU Academy has been established with the express purpose of supporting public administrations in their journey toward digital transformation. We firmly believe that Law as Code can be a key component in said digital transformation. Hence, this course addresses a genuine need that aligns with the Academy's overarching mission and objectives".
To conclude, Cécile called attention to the fact that it is essential to recognise the inherent connection between Law as Code and Digital-Ready Policymaking and that "By embracing Law as Code applications, we can significantly advance the goals of Digital-Ready Policymaking, whether this involves the utilisation of innovative solutions or the adoption of digital-ready drafting techniques", while Aruna wanted to highlight that "Law as Code provides a promising avenue for the future transformation of policy design and delivery. We wholeheartedly encourage anyone with an interest in this topic to explore the 'Understanding Law as Code' course now available on the IOPEU Academy!".
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