This post serves as an introduction to a visiting PhD student, who has been working with our Strathclyde Centre for Internet Law and Policy.
I am a PhD student from the University of Macerata (Italy). My research topic is Data Law in general, especially focusing on the impact on the smart manufacturing sector from the EU Regulations on personal data protection (the GDPR) and on non-personal data (Regulation 2018/1807).
I spent two months doing research in Strathclyde Law School, from January to March 2020. As my research topic is Data Law, I was looking for a university with a cross-cutting perspective and that is exactly what I found at Strathclyde. A place where there is a thriving environment for anyone who is interested in studying the most uncharted and promising fields of law where technical knowledge is essential (e. g. Internet Law, Data Protection Law, ICT Law).
Strathclyde is also the perfect place for PhD research because of its equipped facilities and its quiet rooms within the Graduate School, where you can meet other PhD candidates or you can study for as much time as you want with no sign of interruption. If you like to change location, you can access the Andersonian Library or other premises in Strathclyde’s campus in the eastern part of the city centre and the beginning of the East End of Glasgow. However, there is also the possibility to take a break from studying by working out at the outstanding Strathclyde Sport Centre nearby or having fun with friends in one of hundreds of pubs around the city.
Although Glasgow is totally different from where I come from, I found out it is an amazing place to live. The city is not too big or too crowded. I could move from the East End where I used to live to the city center by walking just a few minutes, so I managed to visit lovely places like St. Mungo’s Cathedral, George Square and the Gallery of Modern Art without using public transportation. You can enjoy the art around the city without worrying about ticket prices because of the stunning street art works hidden in the streets and, most of all, because all the museums in Glasgow are free! My favourite was Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum where history, nature and culture mixed together.
The feature I appreciated most at Strathclyde was the collaboration with my supervisor, Dr Angela Daly. She helped me a lot with both academic and bureaucratic issues every time I needed. Thanks to her I had the chance to attend the meetings of the revived Strathclyde Centre for Internet Law & Policy where experts bringing their knowledge from different sectors share their views. I also had the opportunity to hold a seminar presenting my doctoral research during which I received a lot of stimulating feedback.
Thus, I can definitively say that my experience at the University of Strathclyde has been really helpful and beneficial. I got to know many interesting people and I have increased my expertise in a way I would have never expected before my departure. I am sure it will be useful in my future. I hope to come back as soon as I can.
Find out more about the options for PhD study in Law here >>
Find out more about the LLM in Internet Law & Policy here >>