2026
The second year of the ECODIGITAL project saw the scientific coordinator, Prof. Simone Scagliarini, and co-lecturer, Dr. Giacomo Menegus, teach the course on Digital Economy Law – Jean Monnet Module, which was attended by just under thirty students on the Master’s degree programme in Data Analysis for Economics and Management. The Jean Monnet Module made it possible to supplement the regular teaching hours with four seminars delivered by speakers from outside academia who work on digital markets in public institutions or professional practice.
Seminars for Students on the Digital Economy Law – Jean Monnet Module Course
The first seminar, held on 31 March 2026, was delivered by Dr. Nunzia Ciardi, Deputy Director General of the Italian National Cybersecurity Agency, on the topic of The Strategic Importance of Cybersecurity for Businesses. The speaker focused in particular on the cybersecurity measures required by the GDPR and, above all, the NIS2 Directive and its national implementing legislation
On 9 April 2026, lawyer Carlo Rossi Chauvenet, Managing Partner of CRCLEX law firm, spoke on Data Sharing: From the Data Act to Data Spaces, focusing on the business opportunities that European legislation on the free flow of data, while respecting the rights and freedoms of data subjects, has opened up for businesses and is set to offer increasingly, particularly through the Data Act.
On 14 April 2026, engineer Giuseppe D’Acquisto, a senior official at the Italian Data Protection Authority and Italy’s delegate for technological matters at the European Data Protection Board, addressed the topic of Pseudonymisation and Anonymisation: The Second Life of Personal Data, examining a sensitive issue relating to data protection.
Lastly, on 16 April 2026, Second Lieutenant Giuseppe Ciarmiello, commander of the 1st Section of the Privacy Group within the Special Unit for Privacy Protection and Technological Fraud of the Guardia di Finanza, delivered a lecture on Data Protection and Digital Markets: Lessons from Inspection Practice.
Seminars for Computer Science and Digital Education Students
Following the positive response in 2025, work on the project’s Knowledge Hub continued with a seminar organised in collaboration with the Department of Physics, Informatics and Mathematics on 1 April 2026. Prof. Simone Scagliarini and Dr. Giacomo Menegus joined Prof. Paolo Burgio, a lecturer in Computer Science, to discuss two topics concerning Legal Aspects of Software Development, specifically European and National Legislation on Software Protection and Data and Their Governance in the Development of AI Systems.
The two webinars held on the same day, 23 April 2026, had a similar interdisciplinary character, focusing on education and training through digital tools. On this occasion, Prof. Simone Scagliarini was in dialogue with Prof. Alberto Levi of the Department of Surgery, Medicine and Dentistry – Reggio Emilia campus, on the topics of European Privacy Legislation and Distance Learning and Education and Training in Health and Social Care and Personal Data Protection.
Events for Consumers and Businesses
The discussion then extended beyond academia with the seminar The Digital Economy and Consumer Protection, held on 5 May 2026 in Rome in collaboration with Centro Studi IRCAF and the energy companies A2A, Edison and Iren. The focus of the event was on the changes brought about by the emergence of a data-driven economy in consumer awareness and the tools available to protect consumers’ rights.
In collaboration with the consumer association Federconsumatori regionale Toscana and the pensioners’ trade union SPI-CGIL, a public seminar was held on 20 May 2026 in Florence on The Legal Protection of Consumers in the Digital Economy. The speakers, Prof. Simone Scagliarini and Dr. Giacomo Menegus, focused in particular on European legislation, and the national legislation implementing it, concerning contracts for digital goods and services.
A seminar was also organised on 18 September 2026 with the business community, represented by Confindustria Emilia – Area Centro, on a topic of major importance to businesses: The Data Act: Implementation and Reform.
Smart Life Festival
To conclude the project year, on 16 October 2026 the Smart Life Festival, organised by the Municipality of Modena and Fondazione San Carlo, in partnership with the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and numerous other organisations, hosted the ECODIGITAL project event Reputation Scoring: The Risks of Digital Reputation, which focused on a highly topical issue at the intersection of data protection and artificial intelligence regulation. The event brought Prof. Simone Scagliarini into dialogue with Dr. Elena di Carpegna Brivio, a researcher in Constitutional Law at the University of Milano-Bicocca. They also took part in a programme on Radio FSC, the event’s official radio station: the interview can be watched here.
2025
The first year of the ECODIGITAL project saw the scientific coordinator, Prof. Simone Scagliarini, and co-lecturer, Dr. Virginia Remondino, teach the course on Digital Economy Law – Jean Monnet Module, which was attended by around thirty students on the Master’s degree programme in Data Analysis for Economics and Management. European Union funding made it possible to supplement the regular teaching hours with three well-attended seminars open to the public.
Seminars for Students on the Digital Economy Law – Jean Monnet Module Course
The first seminar, held on 3 March 2025, was delivered by Prof. Franco Pizzetti, Emeritus Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Turin and former President of the Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Personali), on the topic of Lights and Shadows of European Union Regulation in the Digital Age.
On 3 April 2025, lawyer Costanza Matteuzzi, Legal Manager of Women4Cyber, an association that promotes, encourages and supports women’s participation in cybersecurity across Europe, spoke on The Economic and Legal Relevance of Cybersecurity in the Data-Driven Economy.
The course concluded on 15 April 2025 with a lectio magistralis by Prof. Giuliano Amato, President Emeritus of the Constitutional Court and previously, inter alia, President of the Italian Competition Authority (Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato), on the topic of Personal Data Protection and Competition Enforcement. The Facebook Case in Germany.
Seminars for Computer Science and Digital Education Students
As part of the project’s Knowledge Hub, an interdisciplinary seminar was held at the Department of Physics, Informatics and Mathematics on 19 May 2025. Prof. Simone Scagliarini and Prof. Paolo Burgio, a lecturer in Computer Science, discussed Software Licences: Technical and Legal Aspects. The seminar opened up an interdisciplinary debate on a topic of particular interest to computing professionals working on the digital economy.
The event held on the same day had a similar interdisciplinary focus, this time exploring education through digital tools. Prof. Simone Scagliarini joined Prof. Alberto Levi of the Department of Surgery, Medicine and Dentistry – Reggio Emilia campus to discuss Personal Data Protection in Digital Education Contexts.
Dialogue with Other Disciplines
The discussion then extended beyond academia with the seminar A Digital Currency for the Digital Economy? Present and Future of the Digital Euro, held on 5 June 2025 with Dr. Matteo Bursi of the Institute of International Affairs (IAI) in Rome.
Meeting with Consumers
On 25 November 2025, a public seminar was held in Florence in collaboration with Federconsumatori Toscana and Unicoop Firenze on The Legal Protection of Consumers in the Digital Economy. The speakers were Prof. Simone Scagliarini and Prof. Giacomo Menegus, a researcher and co-lecturer on the course from the 2025/26 academic year.
Smart Life Festival
As part of the project’s work to raise awareness of European legislation on the digital economy among consumers and businesses, especially SMEs, Prof. Costanza Nardocci of the University of Milan joined Prof. Simone Scagliarini at the Smart Life Festival on 16 October 2025 to discuss Artificial Intelligence and Individual Rights: A Balance to Be Built. The public event attracted a large audience.