Training Sessions on Artificial Intelligence and Data Protection for Public Administration Staff

The Catalan Data Protection Authority (APDCAT) and the School of Public Administration are organizing two training sessions on Thursday, June 12 and Monday, June 16, focused on artificial intelligence and data protection, aimed at staff from the Government of Catalonia and local authorities.

Specifically, around 200 employees are attending this training program, which features experts from APDCAT, the Centre for Telecommunications and Information Technologies of the Government of Catalonia (CTTI), the Open Administration Consortium of Catalonia (AOC), the Directorate General for Digital Services and Citizen Experience (DGSEC), and the tech sector. The course is offered in a blended format, with both in-person sessions and individual work.

During the welcoming ceremony for the course, the director of APDCAT, Meritxell Borràs, highlighted the Authority's commitment to developing AI systems that respect fundamental rights, as APDCAT has been designated as the authority responsible for protecting them, in accordance with the Artificial Intelligence Regulation (AI Act).   The director highlighted the need to adapt to the new technological context in an agile and responsible manner, and, in this regard, announced that the Authority is working to unite in a single methodology the impact assessments on fundamental rights and the impact assessments on data protection, two legal obligations in cases of high risk for individuals. She encouraged organizations to collaborate, and also highlighted the approach of nine practical cases to test the Catalan FRIA model to assess the impacts of AI systems, within the 'DPD en xarxa' community.  

First course on the AI Act

  The director recalled that this is the first course of the APDCAT on such an ambitious subject as the Artificial Intelligence Regulation. Thus, the course delves into this specific regulation and the artificial intelligence systems that are affected by this rule. It also clarifies several legal and technological concepts and addresses the state of AI in the Generalitat and in the local world.

Among the participating instructors from APDCAT are Joana Marí Cardona, DPO and strategic project lead; Xavier Urios Aparisi, head of the Legal Advisory Office; Núria Pedrós Ramos, head of regulatory monitoring; and Carlos López Martínez, legal advisor. Other participants include Enzo Longobuco from CD4IoT and CD4Business; Carme Callés and David Pastor, heads of innovation services at the AOC; Xavier Puig Farré, Director of Data and AI at CTTI; and Josep Maria Flores Juanpere, Head of Innovation and AI at DGSEC.