History

Since 1999 a number of Universities, belonging to ten EU-member states, has been working together in teaching and researching in legal informatics, as well as in designing study programmes and courses in this field. Most of these courses are currently offered to graduate and post-graduate students.

From its very beginning, this universities network has been supported by the EU Erasmus/Socrates Programme, specially by the Curriculum Development Programme (CD). The last modality of the EU support for 2002-2003 was the Dissemination one, from of the same Erasmus/Socrates Programme, with the name Legal Informatics and Communications Technologies Studies (LIACTES).

The Legal Framework for the Information Society initiative emerged as a result of the wide-ranging experience jointly carried out by these Universities. With the purpose of making their activities public and strengthening the co-operation framework by inviting further universities an other institutions, firms or associations to join the initiative.

This very idea underlay the first LEFIS-TN experience in 2003/04, which under EU support has emerged as a solid teaching and research infrastructure on IT & IS Law. Conclusions drawn thereof point that the continuity and progress of this approach necessitates further work on its social and institutional impact, feasibility and acceptance.