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The Law Department (Dipartimento di Giurisprudenza - DiGi) is one of the sixteen Departments of the University of Palermo. Its main functions concern the following areas:
a) Scientific Research
b) Under- and post-graduate teaching coordination
c) the promotion of social activities and cultural initiatives

a) The DiGi Department collects approximately 120 structured research projects, whose fields extend to all areas of law study, including bordering areas (political economy, sociology) whose study is important for legal disciplines.

The different research activities conducted by the DiGi Department are recognised on both national and international levels. Over the years, researches have been called to hold prestigious public positions (Constitutional Court Judges, presidents and members of commissions for legislative reforms, Superior Council of Judiciary members, the current President of the Italian Republic).

Excellent performances of our researchers are showed in periodic assessments of the research quality (VQR) performed by the National Agency of Evaluation of University and Research (ANVUR) from a 2016 survey, relating to 2011-2014. Furthermore, the Law Department is one of the few Italian law departments inserted by MIUR among the best 180 University Departments of Italy for its research quality.

Emeriti Professors and various members of important scientific academies such as the Accademia dei Lincei are part of this Department.

During the course of its history, DiGi has been managing scientific research projects both on several national and international levels (such as among the newest “The Global Dynamics of Extortion Racket Systems GLODERS (VII PQ)” and “Illegal Flow Observation- IFO, the project Menu For Justice Towards An European Curriculum Studiorum On Judicial Studies”; “Security right and European insolvency regulation”).

DiGi provides a fully functional environment to italian and foreign researchers in developing their business. Its collection of books amounts to thousands of volumes and journals and a particular attention is being paid to the increase of foreign journals too.

Many DiGi researchers have been visiting fellows at foreign universities (e.g.: Oxford, Columbia University, Berlino, Toronto, Bejing) and International research Institutes (e.g..: Max Planck Institut für Internationales und Auslandisches Strafrechts of Freiburg i.B.; European Institute of Florence).

 

b) From a didactic/pedagogical/teaching point of view, DiGi manages courses directed to both under and post-graduate students.

b.1) As far as undergraduates are concerned, DiGi contributes to the coordination of the Law Degree Course offered in two different locations (Palermo, Trapani), and the Three-years Undergraduat Degree in “Consulente giuridico di impresa”, which will be active in Trapani from the academic year 2016/17. Professors at DiGi contribute with their help to other academic courses such as Social Services in Palermo and Agrigento and Economy.

b.2) The Academic offer of postgraduate courses consists in two PhD programmes: one in Human Rights and the other in Legal Pluralism. Both courses are characterized by a multidisciplinary, international approach, in fact they are International PhD Courses.

Furthermore, DiGi organizes lifelong learning activities for law professionals (e.g. lawyers, judges, public employees), in forms of institutional collaborations with organizations and in specific collaborations for updating or studying particular topical issue (seminars for and with judges and seminars for lawyers).

Examples are the convention with the Order of Lawyers of Palermo for training activities (2011/12), in which more than 1400 lawyers participate;
the renewal of the Convention with the Sicilian Region for training and update activities aimed at public employees (from 2011 till 2013) in which more than 1500 workers participated, with organized courses in Palermo, Agrigento e Trapani;

A convention stipulated for training of employees of the Recovery Consortium; training activities aimed at employees' law enforcement (judges, investigators, police) under a specialization course in politics and instruments against international drug-trafficking under a project research named IFO (ILLEGAL FLOW OBSERVATION).

b.3) A special mention goes to the project Jean Monnet on “Mobility, Security and the New Media”, financed by European Union as part of the Erasmus+ Programme, an important element for the Department. The course will be articulated in three yearly modules (2016-2018), each one composed of 12 seminar meeting managed by national and international specialists aimed to students who have already reached an advanced stage of their academic career: PhD students, judges, lawyers and employees of law enforcement.

 

c) Under the third, the Digi hosts and animates cultural initiatives and social activities of great impact on the territory, such as the Legal Clinic for Human Rights (in agreement with the association CLEDU), which, with the collaboration of professionals and students offers free legal counseling for hundreds of people in a position of vulnerability; information, in-depth analysis and awareness-raising initiatives on topical issues of social relevance; public happenings such as La notte bianca dei diritti and Agon, or guidance seminars for high schools within the Piano di Orientamento e Tutorato (POT). The Department thus aspires to establish a constant and constructive dialogue with the (local and not only lacal) society, in an attempt to contribute to the formation of a strong civic consciousness and to increase awareness on the social importance of law and rights.