| The Principles and Practice of Tech Policy

As our digital lives become more immersive, tech policy has become an important field of study and practice. This has given rise to a new breed of professionals who engage with critical issues of law and policy involving new technologies.

This course will help students engage with emerging technology policy issues, acquire essential skills, and prepare for a career in tech policy. It is a standalone course, which can be complemented with other foundational courses, including legal methods, economics, sociology, ethics, intellectual property and corporate law.

We will begin with a study of the key principles of tech regulation, the tools used by policymakers to analyse issues, and the role of professionals in shaping public policy.

Next, we will discuss a range of topics like data protection, content moderation, cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence to develop a nuanced understanding of these issues from multiple perspectives. Each topic will be part of a separate module and will be taught primarily through lectures, readings and classroom discussions. These modules will be interspersed with practical workshops, case studies, guest lectures and multimedia sessions.

We will close with a discussion on career opportunities in tech policy.

This course has been designed to help students:

• Build a deeper understanding of how technology is impacting business, politics and society and the capacity to think and act like a policymaker
• Explore legal and policy issues in privacy, content regulation, cryptocurrency and AI
• Engage with experts and peers to gain a nuanced perspective on these topics through case studies, simulations and conversations
• Develop practical skills, including policy planning, analysis and advocacy, legal reasoning, government affairs and legislative drafting
• Expose them to career opportunities in tech policy