27 February to 15 May 2026

Postgraduate course AI in the European Legal Framework

POSTGRADUATE Education

An investment in the future

logoexecutiveeducation_Full Cores

Presentation

The AI in the European Legal Framework postgraduate course offers an in-depth analysis of the ethical and regulatory dimensions of artificial intelligence, with a particular focus on the European AI Regulation (AI Act). It is designed for professionals from different fields who are directly or indirectly involved in the development, use or governance of AI systems.

The programme aims to empower participants to anticipate and respond to legal and policy changes, while promoting a critical understanding of the broader ethical challenges shaping the future of AI in Europe and beyond.

Coordination

SITE-CorpoDocente-ProfessoresResidentes_VeraLuciaRaposo_02

Vera Lúcia Raposo 

Executive Coordination

1715106142071

Diogo Soares

Aim of the course

The Postgraduate Course offers a comprehensive and critical overview of the AI Act, exploring the concept and legal definition of artificial intelligence, the institutional framework and the values that underpin it. In this way, the Postgraduate Course:

  1. Analyses the scope of application, the risk categories of AI systems and the rules for general-purpose AI.
  2. Addresses enforcement and oversight mechanisms, regulatory sandboxes, and topics such as bias, transparency, human oversight, and cybersecurity.
  3. It also includes fundamental rights impact assessments, links to other legal regimes such as the GDPR, and implications in areas such as intellectual property, generative AI, facial recognition, robotics, and autonomous vehicles.

By the end of the programme, participants will have acquired a structured and critical understanding of the AI Act in its legal, ethical and political dimensions. They will thus be equipped not only with the analytical tools necessary to navigate this new regulatory framework, but also to actively participate in shaping the future of artificial intelligence governance.

Target audience

AI developers, lawyers, off-counsel, judges, public officials involved in operating and/or approving and certifying AI systems, and researchers.

Teaching Method

Online.

Sessions will not be recorded.

Language

English

Duration

54 contact hours (synchronous sessions), in addition to the work carried out for the preparation of the final written assignment.

Date

27 February to 15 May 2026

Schedule

From 12h00 to 14h00 (Lisbon time)

ECTS

12 ECTS

Assessment

The assessment for the Postgraduate Programme is divided into two components, each accounting for 50% of the final grade:

  1. A written examination (multiple choice) covering all topics addressed in the course;
  2. An oral presentation of group work on one of the course topics.

Fee

  • 1950€
  • Early Bird price (until January): 1650€
  • NOVA School of Law Alumni: 1750€
    20% discount for institutions enrolling 3 or 4 participants; 30% discount for institutions enrolling 5 or more participants.*

* This discount may not be combined with the Early Bird or Alumni fees.

Programme

27 February

Introducing the Course: Scope and Key Highlights

2 March

What is AI? A Critical Introduction to its Meaning

  • João Leite (NOVA School of Science and Technology – NOVA University) 

4 March

The Legal Definition of Artificial Intelligence under the AI Act

6 March

Governing AI in Europe: The Institutional Architecture of the AI Act

9 March

What the AI Act Doesn’t Cover: Scope, Omissions, and Open Questions

  • Marco Almada (Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance, University of Luxembourg)

11 March

The AI Act as a Reflection of the EU’s Constitutional Ethos

13 March

Prohibited AI Systems under the AI Act

16 March

What Makes AI High-Risk? Exploring the Core Category of the AI Act

18 March

Beyond High-Risk: The AI Act’s Treatment of Non-High-Risk Systems

  • Lee Andrew Bygrave (Norwegian Research Center for Computers and Law, Faculty of Law, University of Oslo)

20 March

General-Purpose AI under the AI Act: Understanding Chapter V

23 March

The AI Act’s Enforcement Mechanisms: From Oversight to Penalties

25 March

AI transparency and explainability (the black box problem)

27 March

Bias and Discrimination in AI: Legal and Ethical Challenges

13 April

Human Oversight in the AI Act: Safeguarding Agency and Accountability

15 April

Fundamental Rights Impact Assessments in the AI Act

17 April

Harmonised Standards in the AI Act and the role of Soft Law

20 April

Robust and Resilient AI: Cybersecurity Obligations in the EU Framework

22 April

Regulatory Sandboxes under the AI Act: Innovation Within Boundaries

24 April

After Deployment: The Role of Post-Market Monitoring in the AI Act

27 April

Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property Law

  • Giulia Priora (NOVA School of Law, NOVA IPSI – NOVA University) 

29 April

Cracking the AI Act for Real-World Compliance

  • Pin Lean Lau (Konexo Global/Eversheds Sutherland | Centre for AI: Social & Digital Innovations)

4 May

The interconnection between the AIA and the Medical Device Regulation

6 May

The interconnection between the AIA and the Machinery Regulation (the case of AI-enhanced robotics)

  • Tobias Mahler Norwegian Research Center for Computers and Law, Faculty of Law, University of Oslo)

8 May

The interconnection between the AIA and the Product Liability Directive

11 May

The interconnection between the AIA and the GDPR

  • Edward Dove (School of Law and Criminology – Maynooth University)

13 May

Embodied AI: the implications of deploying robots in society

15 May

Specific AI systems: AI companions

Registrations









    Indicate if you are NOVA School of Law student or Alumni.


    * Mandatory fields