Why this programme?

Future ‘data leaders’ need targeted legal education on a master level for the following reasons:

Data leaders with legal education are undoubtedly more successful in preventing and tackling privacy and cybersecurity breaches within their organisations. To tackle today’s challenges, the data leaders have to possess an in-depth academic understanding of the law to lead their organisation effectively ensuring full compliance with EU and international privacy, data protection and cybersecurity legal requirements
Businesses currently do not only compete with the products or services that they offer, but also on standards of legal compliance with privacy and cybersecurity rules. Organisations need legal experts on the managerial level that will foster legal compliance as one of the competitive assets of the company
The nature of the legislative processes on the EU level is increasingly marked with an engagement of high-level stakeholders that need to possess complex legal knowledge. In order to be able to identify the shortcomings of existing legislation in the field of privacy, data protection and cybersecurity, these stakeholders need to have the capacity to translate their interests into complex legal standards
There is an increased degree of responsibility resting on market leader businesses and pubic organisations due to the frequently high impact of digital, data-related products and services (such as algorithm-based pricing mechanisms, profiling and automated-decision making). Organisations are often called upon to lead by example by offering a sound compliant and secure framework for data
Finally, given the interaction of data-related rules with other disciplines, data leaders must also possess interdisciplinary knowledge and leadership skills. This programme conveys a broad and interdisciplinary skill set to professionals that prepares them to deal with any future issues related to privacy, cybersecurity and personal data management they encounter

At Maastricht University, learning takes place in the International Classroom, a place where our differences become our strengths. From day one, you will be challenged with differing viewpoints and experiences as you interact with staff and students from all over the world. Your worldview will be enhanced by this interaction, bringing you closer to the programme’s goal of teaching students not only facts and concepts but also international accessibility and understanding. Such diversity creates an international atmosphere that is strengthened by the international orientation of the programme.