DataScientia Contributes to China-Europe AI Dialogue on Data Protection and Ethics
As part of the continuing international collaboration between the University of Trento and Zhuhai College of Science and Technology (ZCST), an academic workshop on artificial intelligence, data protection, and ethics was held on 4 September 2026 at the International Joint Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Society at ZCST.
The workshop, titled “Academician Face to Face — China-Europe AI Monthly Dialogue”, was hosted by the International Joint Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Society and focused on two emerging issues at the intersection of artificial intelligence, personal data, and society.
A China-Europe Dialogue on Responsible AI
The event was closely connected to the Everyday Artificial Intelligence (EAI-1) course developed through the collaboration between ZCST and the University of Trento.
The workshop brought an international perspective to topics addressed in the course, creating an opportunity for students and academics to examine how artificial intelligence interacts with different legal, social, and ethical environments.
The first discussion focused on user profiling and data protection, examining differences between the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and China’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL). The session drew on practical training cases and the Italian Algorithm Transparency Project to compare the two regulatory frameworks and explore their implications for the development and use of AI systems.
The second discussion addressed the ethical boundaries of digital human data collection. Students shared perspectives developed through an AI Ethics Compliance Analysis assignment, followed by an analysis of digital-human ethics from a European perspective and an interactive question-and-answer session.
Connecting Education, Ethics and International Research
The workshop illustrated the role of the International Joint Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Society as a platform for bringing together education, research, and international dialogue around the societal implications of artificial intelligence.
The laboratory was established through the broader cooperation between the University of Trento and Zhuhai College of Science and Technology, with Prof. Fausto Giunchiglia, Coordinator of the DataScientia Initiative and faculty member of the Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science (DISI), University of Trento, serving as its Scientific Director.
Within this framework, the collaboration brings together expertise from Italy and China to explore AI education, research, data governance, ethics, and the development of AI systems that can operate reliably and in the interests of individuals and society.
For DataScientia, the workshop was particularly relevant to its broader vision of developing person-centric, trustworthy, and AI-enabled approaches to data and knowledge. Questions of privacy, transparency, trust, governance, and responsible data use are central to understanding how AI can be developed and deployed in ways that genuinely benefit people.
Continuing the DataScientia–ZCST Partnership
The September workshop represented another concrete activity within the growing University of Trento–ZCST partnership, building on the educational and research framework established through the two institutions’ collaboration.
By connecting students, academics, and researchers across Europe and China, initiatives such as the China-Europe AI Monthly Dialogue contribute to a broader international conversation on how artificial intelligence can be developed responsibly while taking into account different regulatory, cultural, and societal contexts.
DataScientia looks forward to supporting further joint activities with Zhuhai College of Science and Technology and the International Joint Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Society, with a continued focus on AI education, research, data governance, ethics, and human-centred technological innovation.
Important Link
Original ZCST Announcement:
Academician Face to Face — China-Europe AI Monthly Dialogue Workshop
