DataGuards

The objective of DataGuards is to build a network of excellence focusing on security, digital rights and personal data privacy in tomorrow’s data-driven services. This network will work on structuring the way research is carried out on these cutting-edge topics. The core objective is the submission of an MSCA-ITN EJD research and training network proposal. The growth rate of data-driven applications is 3 times higher than for the rest of the tech market, and this trend is growing1. Gartner lists data analytics, AI-driven applications, and large-scale data management infrastructures such as edge computing and blockchains in the top #10 technology trends for 20192. The European Commission’s priority towards a digital single market3 encompasses many of these technological advances. At the same time, the unrestricted use of personal data by applications is leading to the rise of legitimate concerns by citizens. The European Union is at the forefront of a new digital rights regulation movement (e.g. GDPR, ePrivacy directive) that we can only expect to grow stronger in the coming years4. While posing many implementation challenges, digital rights regulations can also be a business enhancer and bring a strategic advantage to EU- based companies. DataGuards aims at building a joint doctoral program, targeting the MSCA-ITN-2020 EJD call, between 5 highly renowned academic institutions. It will train highly talented early-stage- researchers (ESRs) with an innovative and inter-sectoral research program to constitute the next generation of European experts able to enforce digital rights in tomorrow’s data-driven services. DataGuards ESRs will be trained to address current and future digital rights challenges by mastering scientific, technical, legal, entrepreneurial and communication aspects. The highlights of the DataGuards proposal will be: • A strong consortium composed so far of 5 internationally acclaimed universities and 10 partner organisations: 7 highly innovative companies, representative of the European industrial landscape from start-ups to large organisations, and 3 specialist organisations involved in key multidisciplinary aspects of the training. • An ambitious multidisciplinary training program mixing a strong scientific coverage of data management and processing, an extensive coverage of legal, soft skills, communication aspects and the development of an entrepreneurial and innovation-oriented mindset. • All beneficiaries and partner organisations will be strongly involved in the research and training programs. Each ESR would spend two periods of 16 months in academia at two different host institutions, from which he/she will be awarded a double or joint PhD degree and he/she will have the opportunity to spend four-month in an industrial secondment, thereby personally driving the full process from fundamental research to technological innovation. The ambition of DataGuards is to establish long-lasting research and training relations between its beneficiaries, coupled with an ambitious exploitation strategy for its research outcomes implemented by all beneficiaries and partner organisations. All these key elements foresee a successful network of excellence that will provide a high value impact both in research and industry, for France and for Europe.