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Gombak, 7 December 2021. Working on the existing relationship between AIKOL, IIUM and Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII), several law lecturers of Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws, IIUM join lecturers from UII and Youngsan University, South Korea to deliver a series of online international classes. The classes which are part of the Virtual Teaching Collaboration Program (VTCP) were held twice a week between 23^rd November 2021 and 7^th December 2021. The theme of this VTCP is “The Importance of Law in the Development of Big Data”. 

As part of international student’s mobility agenda, this programme has reportedly attracted 130 students from several countries including 12 students from Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws, IIUM. It is to provide students with an opportunity to interact with international communities, both academic and industry professionals. Students can use their experience from the VTCP to develop their intercultural competences and digital skills, while working with others on subject-specific learning tasks or activities.

From IIUM, three AIKOL professors spoke in the program. Dr. Mahyuddin bin Daud shared about the “Overview of Cyber Laws: The Shariah and Malaysian Perspective". Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sonny Zulhuda spoke about “Big Data, Privacy and the Law". Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Ida Madieha Abd. Ghani Azmi delivered on the “Legal Issues of Artificial Intelligence in the Judicial and Legal Practices in Malaysia". The three professors are also active members of AIKOL’s Media and Communications Law Research Unit. 

Other topics delivered in this programme were “Big Data and the Challenges of the Indonesian Legal System” by Prof. Dr. Budi Agus Riswandi (Faculty of Law, UII); “Big Data and Law in South Korea” by Prof. Park Jihyun (Youngsan University); and “Big Data and Law in the United States” by Prof. Christopher Cason (Faculty of Law, UII). The opening of the VTCP 2021 was officiated by the Dean of Faculty of Law, UII, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdul Jamil and the Coordinator of the VTCP 2021 Dr. Dodik Nur Setiawan H.

The theme chosen for this program cannot come at a better time. Even though the term Big Data generally refers to the technologies and techniques for processing and analysing a massive set of data, the contentious nature of the discussion emerges typically from the unintended consequence of this development. The outcome of digitalisation, synchronisation, and “datafication” proves to be the next game-changer in both commercial and personal lives. Legal concerns such as privacy, security, property, constitutional and administrative issues emerge and offer legal debates.

Needless to say that the laws in major countries in the world are not ready to provide solutions to people problems and concerns. It is therefore important for the legal fraternity in Malaysia and beyond to learn from each other so as to reform the law in the light of this technological challenges. The ultimate objectives for such reform would be to protect individuals while facilitating more innovations and keeping to nurture the digital economy.

For Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws, this intersection between technology and law has become a persistent agenda both in teaching and research. Several AIKOL lecturers have been actively conducting research and publishing works on the areas of digital economy, e-commerce, data protection, internet content regulations, intellectual property, cryptocurrency as well as child protection online. 

With the participation of AIKOL lecturers and students in this mobility programme, IIUM is further strengthening its legal expertise on the issue of digital technology and law. And along that line, IIUM students will benefit further to enhance their legal skill in this disruptive age.