Block

The assessment is carried out as a written examination (§ 4 Abs. 2 No. 1 SPO) lasting 60 minutes.

Depending on the number of participants, it will be announced six weeks before the examination (§ 6 (3) SPO) whether the performance assessment is carried out
-    as an oral examination (duration approx. 20 mins.) (§ 4 Abs. 2 Nr. 2 SPO) or 
-    as a written examination (lasting 60 mins.) (§ 4 Abs. 2 No. 1 SPO).

None.

-    General knowledge of (public) law (eg, through participating in public law or EU law modules) is helpful but not necessary.
-    Interest in international affairs and politics is welcomed.

Competency Goals:
-    Participating students will be able to navigate the plethora of multilateral treaties to detect relevant international law for specific cases.
-    They can develop solutions for legal problems based on case law of international courts and tribunals. 
-    Students will be able to read and comprehend international treaties and case law.
-    They will have a fundamental understand of the interplay between various subfields of public international law.
-    Students can identify and explain current issues in public international law.

Content:    
The lecture is designed to provide participating students with a general understanding of the foundations, subjects, and sources of public international law, its interplay with national legal regimes, and more detailed knowledge of particular subfields of public international law.

Since the lecture targets students of information systems, particular focus will be given to economic topics in international law, such as investment and trade law aspects. Due to the general importance of climate change for todays (economic) law, international climate change law and environmental law will form further focus areas. 

In addition, a concise overview on human rights law, the law on State responsibility, and the peaceful settlement of disputes will be provided. 

Throughout the lecture, important case law will be referenced and students are expected to read relevant cases in part to facilitate a discussion of such cases and their relevance for a subject field. Although the United Nations, including its principal judicial organ, the International Court of Justice, is one of the, if not the, key international organization in public international law, further international organizations (eg, Council of Europe, World Trade Organization) and their respective law(s) will also be touched.

Students are advised to have a statute book at hand that includes the most important international treaties and conventions (eg, Evans, Blackstone’s International Law Documents, currently 15th ed 2021).

Conducting the lecture in English intends to facilitate students to link their ideas and arguments to current debates in international law.