Professional and Academic Evolution of IPPS Graduates

This is an interdisciplinary Postgraduate Program, bearing the seal of two Universities, which is particularly attractive today as it involves the combination of two scientific fields that span almost all economic and social activity. The majority of postgraduate students are lawyers, but also judges, prosecutors, officers of the Hellenic Police and the Armed Forces, researchers in Research Centers, civil servants, and IT company executives; many already hold other Master’s degrees or even PhDs. As our students state, they are attracted by the pioneering nature of the IPPS, the quality of its studies, and the immediate absorption into the labor market. Our students can also undertake internships in international organizations, such as the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), the European Commission, etc. Furthermore, postgraduate students of the IPPS who are not IT graduates but have successfully attended four IT courses within the program are granted a certificate which they can use in public recruitment competitions as certification of IT proficiency.

Graduates can continue their academic path at the doctoral level. They can also be employed or continue working in the public and private sectors, having this specialization as added value and as a recognized formal and substantive qualification. IPPS graduates are highly sought after in the labor market due to their rare interdisciplinary expertise and work in positions relevant to the knowledge acquired (e.g., as Data Protection Officers - DPOs) in domestic and multinational companies, among others.

Specifically, depending on their primary degree, after graduation:

Lawyers and graduates of related sciences: They will be able to handle with greater ease, both in and out of court, issues regarding the obligations of data controllers and website administrators, online defamation/insult, credit card fraud, interception/leakage of personal data, online copyright infringement, pirated software, online pedophilia, intrusion into corporate information systems, and many more cases related to informatics and the internet. Such cases are increasing geometrically nowadays. Furthermore, knowledge of Informatics combined with specialized legal training will make them more attractive for job positions.

Informatics graduates and graduates of related sciences: Informatics and its applications develop within a specific legal environment; the relevant legal rules are constantly increasing, and IT professionals must be aware of the laws governing the use of Informatics and the Internet, otherwise there is a risk of non-compliance and legal sanctions. IT professionals with knowledge of Law and the legal environment of Informatics and the internet will be able to offer more comprehensive services themselves, as well as provide advisory support regarding obligations and rights to data controllers, website administrators, and IT product and service providers, and understand the problematic points of a commercial agreement, etc. Additionally, as employees in the IT Department of a company, having this specific specialization, they will be able to collaborate better with other administrative departments, making them professionally attractive to employers.

Economists / Management Scientists, graduates of political, social, and other sciences: The points mentioned above apply proportionally, to the extent that an economist or a management scientist operating in today’s Information Society frequently encounters legal issues related to the use of Informatics. In addition to the Law and Informatics courses, the courses offered in the Curriculum related to Economics and Management will also be particularly useful for them, as for the previous categories of graduates.

IPPS Alumni Association: Another positive element of the IPPS is that its graduates founded an Alumni Association in 2023 [https://www.uom.gr/mli/syllogos-apofoiton-dpms], aiming to create an extroverted scientific group and networking platform in the field of legal issues arising from continuous technological evolution.