This 6-week course introduces first-year Bachelor of Business Analytics students to the intersection of law, technology, and business. Students develop a foundational understanding of key international business topics through major European regulatory frameworks such as the EU AI Act, the GDPR, NIS2, and the EU Data Act. Ethical frameworks from the OECD, UNESCO, and other international organisations were also covered in the course. The course prepares future business professionals to navigate their legal rights and regulatory responsibilities in an increasingly digital world.

Embedding digital regulation in business education

A key strength of the course is its interdisciplinary team of legal professionals (all three have a career in law). Coche previously worked at the Amsterdam Business School on an  interdisciplinary PhD in international business (at its intersection with digital laws), and now works at the European Commission as a legal officer on the Digital Services Act. Ricalde has over a decade of professional experience in digital rights advocacy and ethics compliance work and Dutmer is a Dutch-qualified lawyer and experienced General Counsel with over 20 years of legal leadership in the Material and- Life Sciences sector. The 3 lecturers are convinced that digital regulation must be more deeply embedded in business education and better understood beyond legal circles to be effective in practice.

Canvas data breach

This perspective drives a practical and accessible approach, closely aligned with students’ own experiences. For instance, the Canvas incident during the course provided a timely case to explore the real-world complexity of digital governance. Tutorials were built around real-world case studies, while lectures included industry perspectives, including cybersecurity expert Dennis Postma of ABN AMRO. This helped students connect theory to practice.

Student satisfaction

As the first edition of the course concludes, the team is encouraged by the strong engagement and curiosity of students. This was also reflected in the course evaluations, where students awarded an average score of 4.6 out of 5 for the organisation of lectures, tutorials, and materials. 
Developed from scratch by the team, this course will continue to be refined and adapted as regulations evolve. The lecturers hope they'll have the opportunity to teach it again next year.