Beatrice Serra

Beatrice Serra is an Associate Professor at Sapienza University of Rome, specializing in Canon Law and Ecclesiastical Law within the Department of Legal, Philosophical and Economic Studies. She teaches courses on Ecclesiastical Law and Canon Law for the Law Faculty, with regular office hours on Thursdays from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Her academic career spans over two decades at Sapienza University, where she has held progressively senior positions including Researcher since 2002 and Associate Professor since 2015.

Her educational background includes:

• Laurea in Giurisprudenza (cum Laude) from Sapienza University of Rome (2000)
• Ph.D. in Canon Law and Ecclesiastical Law from Sapienza University of Rome (2005)

Professor Serra's research focuses on the intersection of religious law and state governance, with particular expertise in Canon Law, Ecclesiastical Law, and Church-State relations. Her scholarly work examines how religious institutions interact with secular legal frameworks, particularly regarding data protection, healthcare, and international diplomacy. She has made significant contributions to understanding the Catholic Church's relationship with China, the implications of papal resignation, and the protection of religious identity in healthcare settings. Her methodology combines historical analysis with contemporary legal theory to address pressing issues at the nexus of religion and law.

Analysis of her recent publications (2023-2025) reveals three major thematic clusters: Sino-Vatican relations (comprising approximately 40% of her output), data protection within religious contexts (30%), and healthcare disparities related to religious identity (30%). Her work on China-Holy See relations represents a significant scholarly contribution examining this relationship one hundred years after the Council of Shanghai. The data protection publications demonstrate how GDPR implementation affects religious institutions, particularly the Catholic Church in Italy. Her healthcare-related research examines how religious identity creates vulnerabilities in medical settings and contributes to health inequalities.

Professor Serra serves in significant academic roles including:

• Member of the Academic Board of the Ph.D. program "Teoria degli Ordinamenti Giuridici" since 2007
• Member of the Scientific Council for the Master's program in "Diritto dell'Informatica e Teoria e Tecnica della Normazione" since 2012
• Principal Investigator for university-funded research projects
• Included in the MIUR Reviewers Registry for evaluating ministerial research programs

She currently leads research projects including "Artificial intelligence, privacy, and religious freedom: fundamental rights put to the test by new technologies," "The Renunciation of the Petrine Office: Between History and Law," and "China-Holy See Relations: Past and Future." Her scholarly activities include contributing to major reference works like the "Diccionario General de Derecho Canónico" and serving on editorial boards for religious law publications.