Ateneo - UPO

The course introduces the fundamental concepts of information technology required to understand European regulations regarding the digital sphere.
It covers concepts such as data, computer systems, data processing, data structures, digital documents, basic security, and automation, with reference to key European regulations (GDPR, AI Act, DSA, NIS2, CAD, eIDAS).

Material provided by the teacher during the lessons

The course aims to provide students with:
- The conceptual foundations of informatics applied to law;
- The ability to understand the technical structure of systems governed by European regulations;
- A method for the technical-legal analysis of digital systems;
- Basic operational skills in using tools such as spreadsheets.

No prior computer skills are required beyond the basic computer skills acquired in the Abilità Informatiche course.

- Lectures supported by institutional slides;
- Guided analysis of concrete cases;
- Laboratory activities with Excel;
- Structured exercises in technical and legal analysis;
- Guided discussion of real digital systems.

The course provides the technical foundation for the subsequent courses in Computer Science II and Fundamentals of Algorithms.
Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via reference office consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities. Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects

The learning assessment is divided into:
1. Practical exam, consisting of the technical analysis of a digital system or simple dataset.
2. Oral exam, aimed at assessing understanding of theoretical concepts and the connection between technology and regulations.
The oral exam follows the practical exam.

The course is divided into six blocks:
1. Fundamentals of Information Systems
Data and Information; Information System; Basic Security; Concept of Processing.
2. Rules and Decisions
Logical Conditions; Procedure; Algorithm; Filtering and Sorting; Aggregation.
3. Digital Document and Identity
Electronic Document; Metadata; Integrity; Digital Signature.
4. Systems and Networks
Client-Server Architecture; Logs; Traceability; Backup and Resilience.
5. Automation and Limitations
Automated System; Human Supervision; Bias; Data Minimization; Interoperability.
6. Summary and Method of Technical and Legal Analysis
Structural Analysis of Regulated Digital Systems.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Define and describe the main basic IT concepts;
- Distinguish between isolated data and organized systems;
- Apply a structured method for analyzing a digital system;
- Connect technical concepts to the main European digital regulations;
- Use basic tools to analyze simple data structures.