New law network to tackle academic and professional silos

A University of Stirling law professor is launching an innovative new body to bring together and promote all sectors of the profession in Scotland.

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A University of Stirling law professor is launching an innovative new body to bring together and promote all sectors of the profession in Scotland.

Dr Guido Noto La Diega, Associate Professor at the University’s Law School, has been awarded funding from the Royal Society of Edinburgh to create the Scottish Law and Innovation Network (SCOTLIN).

The first-of-its-kind exchange hub will allow experts working in academia, legal professions, and civil society to come together to develop and share impactful research, excellence in teaching, and societally beneficial law and policy innovations.

 

Dr Guido Noto La Diega. Head and shoulders photo of a man with very short dark hair, stubble and moustache wearing a shirt, tie and suit jacket looking directly to camera.
Guido Noto La Diega
Associate Professor at the University of Stirling Law School
SCOTLIN aims to bridge academic and professional silos, in order to get the most out of our multidisciplinary knowledge in the field of law and innovation. It also aims to increase public awareness and education about key issues ranging from digital privacy to the regulation of artificial intelligence, from business tech-readiness through to algorithmic accountability.

The new body is led by Dr Noto La Diega with Dr Rossana Ducato, of the University of Aberdeen, and the University of Glasgow’s Professor Martin Kretschmer. It is open to any Scotland-based expert in law and innovation, as well as to those with an interest in the field.

Over the first two years of the network, SCOTLIN aims to work to identify the scope for a distinct Scottish policy on innovation, strengthen capacity and resilience – in particular among the next generation of researchers and professionals – and contribute to topical themes such as ‘Interventions for sustainability in a post-COVID world’. There are plans for interactive workshops, regular expert talks, a symposium for early career researchers and an annual conference.

An interactive map will also be created on SCOTLIN’s website to highlight and identify people and research interests and encourage opportunities for collaboration.

SCOTLIN is supported by experts across the sector and has partnerships with organisations including:

  • Centre for Research into Information, Surveillance and Privacy (CRISP)
  • Centre for Commercial Law, University of Aberdeen
  • UK Copyright and Creative Economy Centre (CREATe), University of Glasgow
  • Scottish Research Centre for IP and Technology Law (SCRIPT), University of Edinburgh
  • Centre for Internet Law & Policy, University of Strathclyde
  • Centre for Research into Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (St Andrews)
  • Newcastle University, Abertay University, Dundee University and Robert Gordon University
  • Non-academic partners include experts from Open Rights Group Scotland, CodeBase, Juralio, the Faculty of Advocates, and the Law Society of Scotland.