QUT says there is a need for professionals across the board to acquire the know-how to navigate the legal and ethical risks associated with new technologies and digital data.
The degree course has been launched through QUT Online after the university undertook consultations with representatives from government, law and business ahead of designing the course.
QUT says consultation highlighted the breadth of roles now utilising new technologies and managing data.
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Erin Walford, senior legal counsel at Dominos, was involved in the initial course design. At the end of 2018, Domino’s announced the “world’s first” augmented reality pizza ordering service.
“New technologies are playing an increasingly exciting role in delivering innovative, rewarding experiences to our customers,” Walford said.
“As these technologies become ubiquitous across business, it is essential for staff — beyond just the legal team — to have access to courses, such as the one being offered through QUT Online, that boost a team’s understanding of how to safeguard personal data in the digital world.”
The QUT course is designed for anyone regularly handling digital data or dealing with new technologies in their role.
Starting with ‘How to think like a lawyer in the digital world’, the course will guide students through current statutory requirements and teach them how to critically analyse their work through the lens of a lawyer.
The Foundation of Young Australians New Work Order Summary 2018 found that jobs of the future would demand 70% more enterprise skills than jobs of the past. Specifically, the demand for critical thinking has risen by 158% and digital literacy by 212% based on an analysis of 4.2 million job advertisements since 2012 requiring less than five years’ experience.
Director of Postgraduate Programs in the QUT Law School, Associate Professor Allan Chay, said the course has been specifically designed to address increased demand from industry for digitally-literate professionals.
“The need for awareness of the legal risks and opportunities of new technologies and of dealing with client data is no longer confined to IT and legal departments,” he said.
“From the health sector to hospitality, there is an increasing need for employees across businesses to have greater awareness of the latest regulations and the risks involved. By offering this course through QUT Online, we are giving people a flexible and accessible way to arm themselves with the knowledge to predict and mitigate risks, ensuring their organisations can maximise the benefits of these technologies.”
Enrolments are now open for course commencement in July 2019, and students will have access to a dedicated support network seven days a week that provides academic, technical, administrative and personal assistance.
