Artha Dermawan is an Indonesia-qualified lawyer and a doctoral student at the University of Lapland, Finland. His doctoral studies are funded by the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, Germany, and he is a visiting researcher at the Intellectual Property Research Institute of Australia, University of Melbourne. His current research focuses on identifying the most suitable legal framework within EU copyright and related rights law to protect human creativity and cultural production amidst the development of generative artificial intelligence. The research output proposes the substantive design of a Universal Basic Income for Authors and Performers in the EU.

Artha is also working as a researcher in several projects, including: (1) the Horizon Europe-funded initiative Digitisation of Cultural Heritage of Minority Communities for Equity and Renewed Engagement (DIGICHer), funded by the European Commission. This project aims to develop a novel, validated and scalable framework designed through user-centred approaches to promote equitable, diverse, and inclusive practices in the digitisation of cultural heritage; and (2) Digital Path Living Memories: A Trilateral Education Network for Indigenous Digital Heritage (VIDA), funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. VIDA is a trilateral academic collaboration between the University of Lapland (Finland), the University of the Andes (Colombia), and the Universidad Católica del Perú. It addresses the legal, ethical, and educational challenges involved in digitising Indigenous cultural heritage.

In 2019, Artha was awarded the Stuned Scholarship to pursue an advanced Master’s in Intellectual Property Law and Knowledge Management (IPKM) at Maastricht University, the Netherlands.

His broader research interests include the role of intellectual property as an engine for sustainable innovation in new technologies, the pharmaceutical industry, the digital music industry and the protection of cultural heritage belonging to Indigenous and minority communities.

In addition to his academic work, Artha is a travel blogger and content creator. He aspires to become the youngest Indonesian to visit every country in the world recognised by the United Nations (81/193).