PrF ICTA05 Law Information and Communication Technologies
Name in Czech: Law Information and Communication Technologies
doctoral combined, language of instruction: English English
Included in the programme: PrF ICTA_ Law of Information and Communication Technologies

Study-related information

  • Final state doctoral examination and defence of the doctoral thesis
    The state exam consists of a defence of doctoral thesis and an oral exam. The defence is conducted in front of permanent or ad hoc committee. At defence, student is expected to explain the object of his or her research and summarize conclusions of the thesis. In following discussion, student is expected to react to submitted reviews and questions of the members of the committee. Regular timeframe of defence is approx. 60 min.
    Oral exam is conducted in front of permanent or ad hoc committee. Student is expected to answer, without prior preparation, questions asked by members of the committee. The scope of question is limited to the following areas:
    1. Concepts of virtualisation and actualisation
    2. Concept of information, elements of organisation, law as an information system
    3. Territoriality of law, information sovereignty of a state
    4. Positivist, pragmatic and naturalist method in ICT law
    5. Formalisation of law, recent issues in legal informatics
    6. Algorithmic application of law
    7. Virtualised promulgation of law
    8. Code as a positive expression of normative will of a definition authority, relations between code and law
    9. Regulatory structure of the Internet
    10. Freedom of information and its forms in applicable law (free access to information, re-use of public sector information)
    11. Freedom of expression and its protection by positive law (incl. comparative perspective)
    12. Subjects in ICT law, legal personality of autonomous systems
    13. Informational self-determination and its reflection the case-law of the ECHR
    14. Privacy and its protection through private law.
    15. Personal data protection.
    16. Legal regulation of cross-border data transactions.
    17. Concept and structure of non-distributive information rights
    18. Concept and elements of cybersecurity, recent regulatory approaches
    19. Cybersecurity incident as a use of force (incl. attribution)
    20. Information feudalism and information anarchism
    21. Economic value of data and protective legal tools (incl. IP)
    22. Abuse of IP and abuse of market dominance in ICT
    23. Free movement of goods and services and legal regulation of digital economy
    24. Legal regulation of e-commerce (incl. consumer protection, unfair competition, platforms regulation)
    25. Phenomenon of electronic documentation of legal acting (electronic identification and authentication, electronic signatures and their derivativesetc.)
    26. Information analysis of legal procedures
    27. Virtualisation of court and administrative procedures
    28. Virtualisation of arbitration and new forms of dispute resolution (private ODR)
    29. Legal regulation of autonomous robots
    Regular timeframe of oral exam is 60 min.
  • Requirements of the study
    This programme is primarily based on individual research, consultation and publications. It also partly consists of contact learning team activities and teaching. In particular, this study programme consists of the following components:

    Individual research for dissertation – this is mostly important part of this programme that lead to the dissertation. Respective research topics are normally not suitable for collaborative research, so students regularly conduct their research individually, only with a guidance by the supervisor. Partial results of research are usually published as papers (see further “publications”). Individual research also consists of a research stay abroad.

    Individual research in profiling courses – in profiling courses, students elaborate, under a supervision by respective course tutors, on particular research assignments. Results are presented as papers at semestral doctoral colloquia.

    Publications – students are expected to present partial results of their research at domestic and international conferences and in papers. Structure and frequency of publications are subject to agreement between the student and the supervisor, provided that results are properly published at relevant conferences and journals. It is possible for students to meet the requirement of prior publication of a dissertation by publishing its parts as articles in peer-reviewed journals.


    Teaching – in combined form of doctoral programme, students are expected to modestly participate on teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in ICT law. Besides developing didactic experience, teaching also helps to improve presentation skills and abilities to present respective topics to broader public. It is also common that doctoral students prepare reviews for bachelor or master theses or student papers for scientific competitions.

    Contact learning – this component is represented in this programme only to minimum extent. Presence learning (through lectures) is conducted only in general scientific methodology.
  • Proposal of dissertation topics and topics of defended dissertations
    This programme has been running only for 4 years, so there are only 3 dissertations submitted up to date:
    - Cybersecurity in the Czech Republic (defended)
    - Technology neutrality principle in cybersecurity (defended)
    - Enforceability of law through on-line dispute resolution (submitted)

    Dissertations in making currently include:
    - Digital evidence
    - Law and new forms of semi-artificial life
    - Personal data in time and space
    - Legal issues in software-as-a-service
    - The future of software law in the age of Artificial Interlligence
    - Legitimacy of active cybersecurity countermeasures
    - Legal Issues of Autonomous Technologies
    - Software as a public investment

Recommended progress through the study plan

Disertace - povinné předměty

Code Name Guarantor Type of Completion Extent and Intensity Credits Term Profile Cat.
PrF:DA1DIS01Preparatory Work on Doctoral Thesis I J. Šilhánk 0/0/010 1Z
PrF:DA2DIS02Preparatory Work on Doctoral Thesis II - Academic and Professional Literature Search J. Šilhánk 0/0/02 2Z
PrF:DA2DIS03Preparatory Work on Doctoral Thesis II - Academic and Professional Literature Study J. Šilhánk 0/0/02 2Z
PrF:DA7DIS08Doctoral Thesis I - Paper in a Journal J. Šilhánk 0/0/05 7-
PrF:DA7DIS09Doctoral Thesis I - Draft J. Šilhánk 0/0/025 7-
PrF:DA8DIS10Doctoral Thesis II J. Šilhánk 0/0/030 8-
PrF:DA9DIS11Preparation for Doctoral Thesis Defence J. Šilhánz 0/0/0- 9-
PrF:DA2DIS05Preparatory Work on Doctoral Thesis II - Contribution to Discussion at Academic Conference/Seminar J. Šilhánk 0/0/04 2Z
PrF:DA2DIS04Preparatory Work on Doctoral Thesis II - Review in a Journal J. Šilhánk 0/0/02 2Z
PrF:DA3DIS07Work on Doctoral Thesis I - Thesis Proposal J. Šilhánk 0/0/05 3Z
PrF:DA3DIS06Work on Doctoral Thesis I - Paper in a Journal J. Šilhánk 0/0/05 3Z
PrF:DA4DIS07Work on Doctoral Thesis II - Thesis Proposal J. Šilhánk 0/0/05 4Z
PrF:DA4DIS06Work on Doctoral Thesis II - Paper in a Journal J. Šilhánk 0/0/05 4Z
PrF:DA5DIS07Work on Doctoral Thesis III- Thesis Proposal J. Šilhánk 0/0/05 5Z
PrF:DA5DIS06Work on Doctoral Thesis III - Paper in a Journal J. Šilhánk 0/0/05 5Z
PrF:DA6DIS06Work on Doctoral Thesis IV - Paper in a Journal J. Šilhánk 0/0/05 6Z
PrF:DA6DIS07Work on Doctoral Thesis IV - Thesis Proposal J. Šilhánk 0/0/05 6Z
120 credits

Společný základ - povinné předměty

Code Name Guarantor Type of Completion Extent and Intensity Credits Term Profile Cat.
PrF:DA1PED01Teaching Assistance and Support I J. Šilhánz 0/0/02 1Z
PrF:DA1SVZ11Introduction to Scientific Work I M. Večeřaz 0/0/0 5 přednášek.2 1Z
PrF:DA2SVZ11Introduction to Scientific Work II M. Večeřaz 0/0/02 2Z
PrF:DA2PED01Teaching Assistance and Support II J. Šilhánz 0/0/02 2Z
PrF:DA3PED02University Teaching Practice I J. Šilhánz 0/0/02 3Z
PrF:DA3SVZ12Topical Questions of Jurisprudence and Legal Practice I J. Šilhánz 0/1/02 3Z
PrF:DA4SVZ12Topical Questions of Jurisprudence and Legal Practice II J. Šilhánz 0/0/02 4Z
PrF:DA4PED02University Teaching Practice II J. Šilhánz 0/0/02 4Z
PrF:DA5PED02University Teaching Practice III J. Šilhánz 0/0/02 5Z
PrF:DA5SVZ14Theoretical Legal Thinking I M. Večeřaz 0/0/02 5Z
PrF:DA6SVZ14Theoretical Legal Thinking II M. Večeřaz 0/0/02 6Z
PrF:DA6PED02University Teaching Practice IV J. Šilhánz 0/0/02 6Z
24 credits

Odborné předměty povinné

Code Name Guarantor Type of Completion Extent and Intensity Credits Term Profile Cat.
PrF:DA1PIT01Protection of information in European and international law I P. Koukalz 0/0/05 1P
PrF:DA1PIT02Theory of law of information and communication technologies I R. Polčákz 0/0/05 1P
PrF:DA1PIT03eGovernment and eJustice I R. Polčákz 0/0/02 1P
PrF:DA2PIT04Protection of information in European and international law II P. Koukalz 0/0/05 2P
PrF:DA2PIT05Theory of law of information and communication technologies II R. Polčákz 0/0/05 2P
PrF:DA2PIT06eGovernment and eJustice II R. Polčákz 0/0/02 2P
PrF:DA3PIT07Protection of information in European and international law III P. Koukalz 0/0/05 3P
PrF:DA3PIT08Theory of law of information and communication technologies III R. Polčákz 0/0/05 3P
PrF:DA3PIT09Law of eCommerce I J. Kotásekz 0/0/02 3P
PrF:DA4PIT10Protection of information in European and international law IV P. Koukalz 0/0/05 4P
PrF:DA4PIT11Theory of law of information and communication technologies IV R. Polčákz 0/0/05 4P
PrF:DA4PIT12Law of eCommerce II J. Kotásekz 0/0/02 4P
PrF:DA5PIT13Protection of information in European and international law V P. Koukalz 0/0/05 5P
PrF:DA5PIT14Theory of law of information and communication technologies V R. Polčákz 0/0/05 5P
PrF:DA5PIT15Law of eCommerce III J. Kotásekz 0/0/02 5P
PrF:DA6PIT17Theory of law of information and communication technologies VI R. Polčákz 0/0/05 6P
PrF:DA6PIT18Law of eCommerce IV J. Kotásekz 0/0/02 6P
PrF:DA6PIT16Protection of information in European and international law VI P. Koukalz 0/0/05 6P
72 credits

Světový jazyk - povinně volitelný předmět

Code Name Guarantor Type of Completion Extent and Intensity Credits Term Profile Cat.
PrF:DA1JAZ01English I R. Šimekz 0/0/03 1Z
PrF:DA1JAZ02French I K. Sedláčkováz 0/0/03 1Z
PrF:DA1JAZ03German I B. Strážnickáz 0/0/03 1Z
PrF:DA2JAZ03German II B. Strážnickázk 0/0/05 2Z
PrF:DA2JAZ02French II K. Sedláčkovázk 0/0/05 2Z
PrF:DA2JAZ01English II R. Šimekzk 0/0/05 2Z
24 credits

Disertace - povinně volitelné předměty pro 3. až 6. semestr

Students choose elective courses so that the total credited value amounts at 240 credits. When preparing the schedule of compulsory and elective courses, it is advisable to acknowledge the nature of credited outcome of respective course. Courses related to publications are credited upon published or accepted publications only, so it is necessary to take into account respective editorial or review timeframes. Research stays abroad similarly require careful time-oriented planning due to approval deadlines (e.g. in ERASMUS selection procedures)

Code Name Guarantor Type of Completion Extent and Intensity Credits Term Profile Cat.
PrF:DAPVP01Work on Doctoral Thesis - Visiting Study/Internship/Resarch Abroad J. Šilhánk 0/0/04 3Z
PrF:DAPVP02Work on Doctoral Thesis - Paper in Reviewed Proceedings in Czech/Slovak Republics J. Šilhánk 0/04 3Z
PrF:DAPVP03Work on Doctoral Thesis - Paper in Proceedings abroad J. Šilhánk 0/04 4Z
PrF:DAPVP04Work on Doctoral Thesis - Paper in a Foreign Journal J. Šilhánk 0/04 4Z
PrF:DAPVP05Work on Doctoral Thesis - Academic and Professional Literature Search J. Šilhánk 0/02 5Z
PrF:DAPVP06Work on Doctoral Thesis - Review in a Journal J. Šilhánk 0/0/02 6Z
20 credits

Státní doktorská zkouška

Code Name Guarantor Type of Completion Extent and Intensity Credits Term Profile Cat.
PrF:DAPITSDZDoctoral state examination J. ŠilhánSDzk 0/0/0- 8P
0 credits