“I learned a lot and found it exciting to be able to think outside the box of the normal curriculum!” (Participant from the winter semester 2021/22)
With these words of praise, the ITM proudly looks back on the additional training in information, telecommunications and media law offered for the first time last winter semester to external students from all over Germany.
The ITM supplementary training is a free continuing education opportunity for law students, legal trainees and practitioners from all over Germany who are interested in the topic of internet and media.
The additional training lasts 2 semesters and starts in the winter semester. The first semester consists of a lecture on internet law, held by Prof. Dr. Thomas Hoeren, and a lecture in public media law, held by Prof. Dr. Bernd Holznagel. Both lectures cover a wide range of media law topics: In addition to current issues on artificial intelligence, social media and data protection, classic topics such as the function of public broadcasting are also discussed. Current cases are regularly addressed and legally classified in the lectures, so that the pulse is always on the latest developments. The two lectures are each followed by a digital final exam of 90 minutes. In the second semester, the acquired knowledge is then deepened in the form of a seminar. Participants can either write a seminar paper in the area of internet law or public media law. In the choice of topic, there are suggestions from the seminar leader, but the participants also have the opportunity to make their own suggestions and contribute themselves. The seminar concludes with a presentation of the participants’ work and a stimulating discussion with the other participants on the topic. Alternatively, it is also possible that a seminar paper already prepared by the participants on the topic of information, telecommunications and media law can be credited.
The special feature of the additional training is that it is purely digital and participants can work through the learning content at their own pace. The recorded lectures and consolidation notes are made available to the participants weekly via the mailing list so that they can familiarise themselves individually with the subject matter. In addition, there are also digital question sessions with the lecturers every fortnight, in which, in addition to answering questions, cases are repeatedly discussed interactively with the participants. At the beginning of the additional training, the participants receive a schedule that informs them when which topic will be discussed, when the question sessions are and by when they should have read what, in order to facilitate organisation.
The interim conclusion of the participants is that they are enthusiastic and appreciate the opportunity to work on the learning content individually. The final exams were also rated as “good and doable”. Not only the broadening of their own legal horizons is emphasised in the evaluation of the additional training, but also the opportunity to come into contact with other students, legal trainees and practitioners. The additional training is therefore already seen as a benefit and is gladly recommended to all those who have an interest in the topic or who come into contact with such legal issues for the first time.
After passing the two final exams and the seminar, the certificate is awarded at the end of the summer semester. This certificate serves as proof of knowledge in the field of information, telecommunications and media law, which is becoming increasingly important, so that new academic or professional perspectives can be opened up through this.
Further information on the additional ITM training is available on the ITM homepage (https://www.itm.nrw/lehre/zusatzausbildungen/das-itm/). A current field report can be found in JA 05/2022.
Aurelia Merbecks (aurelia.merbecks@uni-muenster.de) will be pleased to accept applications for the new ITM training course starting in October 2022.
