Centre for Distributed Ledger Technologies

DLT5202 AI Foundations and Regulation in Europe

DLT5202 AI Foundations and Regulation in Europe

A 5 ECTS micro-credential course consisting of 1 study-unit "DLT5202 - AI Foundations and Regulation in Europe"

To apply, select the "DLT5202 - AI Foundations and Regulation in Europe" study-unit. Get started by accessing this link.

Understanding AI Systems and Governing Them Responsibly.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming how decisions are made, services are delivered, and risks are managed across both public and private sectors. Yet many professionals are increasingly expected to engage with AI systems, whether in procurement, compliance, governance, or oversight, without fully understanding how these technologies work or how they are regulated.

DLT5202 is a 5 ECTS micro-credential course designed to provide professionals with a clear, structured, and practical understanding of AI, combining technical literacy with a rigorous examination of the legal and regulatory frameworks governing its use.

The course is intentionally interdisciplinary. The first part demystifies the technology behind AI, while the second part focuses on law, regulation, and governance, with particular attention to General-Purpose AI (GPAI) and Generative AI systems. The aim is not to turn participants into engineers, but to equip them with the knowledge and analytical tools needed to engage confidently and responsibly with AI in professional contexts.

No technical background or prior knowledge is required. 

Key Quick facts

Application link (select the "DLT5202 - AI Foundations and Regulation in Europe" study-unit)

Study-Unit details can be found online.

ECTS Credits: 5

Duration: 9 sessions (Monday to Friday, between 17:00 and 19:30)

Dates: 20 - 30 April, 2026, weekdays only 

Deadline to Apply: 13th April, 2026; applications will be evaluated on a first-come, first-served basis

Requirements to Apply: a first degree in relevant disciplines. No technical background or prior knowledge is required. 

Fees: 750 Euros (eligible for the “Get Qualified” scheme by the Government of Malta)

Location: Hybrid (on campus and online - participants may freely choose; link for only sessions will be provided at the start of the course.)

Final Event: Hybrid closing session at the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA) - Friday 8th May 2026 (Time to be confirmed)

Certification: Subject to a successful submission of a final assignment, participants will be awarded a course certificate worth 5 ECTS credits.

Intended Outcomes

By the end of this micro-credential course, participants will be able to: 

  • Explain the core technical principles underpinning modern AI systems and machine-learning models. 
  • Distinguish between different categories of AI applications, including GPAI and generative systems, and their associated risk profiles.
  • Understand the objectives, structure, and compliance obligations of the EU AI Act.  
  • Analyse how GDPR, copyright law, the DSA, and international frameworks apply to AI technologies.  
  • Identify legal, ethical, and governance risks arising from AI deployment. 
  • Engage effectively with technical teams, legal advisors, regulators, and policymakers on AI-related matters. 

Target Groups

This course is designed for a broad range of professionals, including: 

  • Legal professionals and compliance officers working on AI governance, data protection, or digital regulation.
  • In-house counsel and risk managers overseeing AI adoption within organisations.
  • Public sector officials and regulators involved in digital policy, innovation, or AI oversight. 
  • Technology policy advisors and consultants.
  • Executives, senior managers, and board members responsible for strategic AI decisions.
  • ICT and digital transformation managers seeking regulatory and governance literacy. 
  • Finance, insurance, and fintech professionals exposed to algorithmic decision-making systems. 
  • Healthcare, education, and critical infrastructure professionals impacted by AI-enabled tools.
  • Entrepreneurs and start-up founders developing or deploying AI-based solutions.
  • Ethics, ESG, and sustainability professionals addressing responsible and trustworthy AI.

Course Outline

This course is structured in two complementary and tightly integrated parts, combining technical understanding with legal and regulatory analysis.

Part I - Demystifying AI Technology

The first part introduces participants to the core technological concepts underpinning modern artificial intelligence, including machine learning, data-driven models, and algorithmic decision-making. The emphasis is on understanding how AI systems function in practice, their capabilities and limitations, and the origins of technical risks such as bias, opacity, model drift, and error. Concepts are presented in an accessible, non-technical manner, enabling professionals without an engineering background to critically engage with AI systems. 

Special focus is placed on General-Purpose AI (GPAI) and Generative AI, including large language models and foundation models. Participants will examine how these systems differ from traditional task-specific AI, why they can be deployed across multiple domains, and how their scale, adaptability, and training methods introduce new governance challenges. Practical use cases will be used to explore issues such as automated content generation, decision support, hallucinations, misinformation, and intellectual property concerns.

Part II - AI Law, Regulation and Governance

Building on the technical foundations established in Part I, the second part examines the evolving legal and regulatory framework governing AI systems, with explicit attention to GPAI and generative models. Central to this analysis is the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), including its risk-based regulatory approach, obligations for high-risk AI systems, and specific provisions applicable to general-purpose and foundation models.

The course further explores how GDPR applies to AI-driven data processing, automated decision-making , and model training, as well as the implications of copyright law for generative AI, particularly in relation to training data, authorship, and reuse of protected content. The Digital Services Act (DSA) is examined in the context of platform accountability, systemic risk, and the dissemination of AI-generated content, including misinformation and harmful outputs. These EU instruments are complemented by discussion of the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, situating AI governance within a broader human-rights-based framework. 

Throughout Part II, participants will analyse how these legal regimes interact, how compliance obligations translate into operational and organisational requirements, and what effective AI governance looks like in real-world institutional and commercial settings. 

Final Event - Hosted by the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA)

A distinctive and high-value component of this course is the hybrid closing session hosted at the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA). 

This final event provides participants with a unique opportunity to engage directly with Malta's AI regulator, alongside representatives from other national authorities involved in digital regulation, data protection, and technology governance. Participants will gain first-hand insights into regulatory expectations, supervisory practices, and the practical challenges of implementing and enforcing AI regulation. 

The collaboration with MDIA significantly enhances the applied and professional value of the course, grounding academic and legal analysis in real regulatory practice and offering rare exposure to the institutional actors shaping AI governance at both national and European levels. 

Why Enrol?

  • Gain technical literacy in AI without needing an engineering background. 
  • Understand how GPAI and Generative AI are regulated under the EU AI Act and related frameworks. 
  • Prepare for AI Act compliance, governance, and organisational risk management obligations.  
  • Develop the ability to critically assess AI systems before deployment or procurement.
  • Strengthen their capacity to interact confidently with regulators, developers, and legal teams. 
  • Benefit from direct engagement with the AI regulator through the MDIA-hosted final event. 
  • Earn a recognised 5 ECTS micro-credential aligned with professional upskilling and lifelong learning. 

https://www.um.edu.mt/dlt/ourmicro-credentials/dlt5202aifoundationsandregulationineurope/