Jacopo Franceschini conducted his doctoral research in international relations at Kadir Has University in Istanbul, where he specialized in cybersecurity governance, particularly focusing on cyber healthcare policy and regulation in Turkey. His academic background includes a master’s degree in law from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, with a thesis on EU–Turkey institutional relations, and a Specialized Master’s in Middle Eastern Studies from ASERI.

Jacopo has research experience in EU external affairs, international cyber policy, and digital governance, integrating legal, political, and strategic perspectives. He has worked as a researcher in Brussels and Istanbul, contributing to projects on EU–Turkey relations, regional security, and cyber threats. He has also served as a cybersecurity fellow at the European Cyber Conflict Research Initiative and as a lecturer on cyberterrorism and international law at NATO’s Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism.

His publication record includes articles, book chapters, and policy analyses on cybercrime, disinformation, digital sovereignty, and cybersecurity in crisis contexts. Jacopo’s main areas of expertise are international law, EU–Turkey relations, cyber and digital regulation, and emerging technologies in security governance across Europe, Turkey, and the MENA region.

Digital Bridges: Advancing Dialogues between Turkey and Europe on Emerging Technologies and Cybersecurity

This project examines how digital technology and cybersecurity can contribute to redefining relations between Turkey, Germany, and the European Union. In a context marked by increasing cyber threats and growing international competition over cyber governance, the project aims to explore the role of digital sovereignty in shaping the political priorities of Ankara and Brussels.

Through an analysis of regulatory and political strategic developments, the project aims to understand how Turkey and the EU define and implement their digital sovereignty models and how these affect political dialogue, both in bilateral relations and in multilateral frameworks like NATO. Notably, the project examines the areas of data protection, the regulation of digital platforms, and joint responses to transnational cyber threats. 

The project proposes an interdisciplinary approach to highlight the potential of digital technology as a strategic space, not just a technical one, capable of impacting security, governance, and foreign policy in EU-Turkey relations. The project will also explore the political role of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and how they are integrated and perceived in the regulatory and political models of the EU and Turkey.