Martin Ebers, Expert in Artificial Intelligence Law, Visits Católica within the T4EU Visiting Professorship Programme

Universidade Católica Portuguesa welcomed Martin Ebers, a leading European expert in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Law, as part of the Transform4Europe (T4EU) Visiting Professorship Programme. Over the course of two weeks, he carried out teaching and research activities at Universidade Católica Portuguesa and the University of Alicante, reinforcing the Alliance’s commitment to collaborative teaching, interdisciplinary research and knowledge exchange across Europe.
Professor of IT Law at the University of Tartu, President of the Robotics & AI Law Society (RAILS), and Editor-in-Chief of the Cambridge Forum on AI: Law and Governance, Martin Ebers has authored more than 200 scientific publications and has participated in numerous international research projects in the fields of AI regulation and the legal and ethical governance of artificial intelligence.
During his stay at Universidade Católica Portuguesa, he taught the intensive course Regulation of Artificial Intelligence in the European Union, providing students and researchers with a practical understanding of the AI Act, the Digital Services Act and the broader European regulatory framework governing AI.

Designed as an interdisciplinary programme, the course brought together participants from the fields of law, computer science, engineering, ethics and public policy, reflecting Transform4Europe’s commitment to challenge-based, cross-disciplinary education.
The course made a strong impression on participants, combining academic rigour with practical insight into one of the fastest-evolving areas of European law, as reflected by Maciej Lodzinski, student at the Master of Laws (LL.M.) programme at Católica Global School of Law:
“Prof. Ebers’ lectures turned out to be one of the highlights of my academic experience in Lisbon. They offered a detailed analysis of the EU legal framework governing digital platforms, consumer protection, and artificial intelligence, including the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, the Digital Services Act and the AI Act. Attending the ‘Consumers and Platforms in the Age of AI’ classes broadened my understanding of this rapidly evolving field and strengthened my interest in pursuing a career in this area.”

At Católica Global School of Law, Martin Ebers worked closely with Giovanni De Gregorio, Professor and PLMJ Chair in Law and Technology, to develop a joint research agenda focused on AI governance, algorithmic accountability, digital constitutionalism and the protection of fundamental rights in automated decision-making.
“It was a great pleasure to host and collaborate with Prof. Ebers during his visit at Católica Global School of Law. His contribution to our LL.M. course on platform regulation provided students with highly relevant perspective on some of the key challenges for consumers and AI in the digital economy. He fostered thoughtful discussion with the students and valuable academic exchange with scholars in Lisbon,” said Giovanni De Gregorio.
The visit also reinforced the long-standing collaboration between Universidade Católica and the University of Alicante. As part of this partnership, Martin Ebers continued his research with the MetaverseUA Chair, led by Aurelio López-Tarruella. Together, the three institutions are advancing research on the implementation of the AI Act, AI governance, virtual environments and emerging digital technologies, contributing to T4EU’s strategic objective of supporting Europe’s digital transformation.

During his time at the University of Alicante, Martin Ebers and Aurelio López-Tarruella also recorded a new episode of the Transform4Europe Reach Out Podcast. Entitled Decoding the Digital Omnibus: European AI Regulation and Reform, the episode explores the latest developments in European AI legislation, including the proposed Digital Omnibus reforms, the implementation of the AI Act, and the challenges of balancing technological innovation with the protection of fundamental rights.