OSCE summer school encourages debate on improving legal and human rights education

OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine conducted the Second Summer School on General Legal Theory for Law Professors held in Tatariv, Ivano-Frankivsk oblast, on 8-11 July 2015.

Law professors from twelve universities from across Ukraine gathered to discuss the current trends of the general legal theory and methodology of teaching. Among the participants were young and experienced professors of general legal theory as well as legal philosophy, constitutional law, civil law, and law of intellectual property. The combination of different experiences and research approaches allowed the participants to see the general issues from a different angle and formulate innovative solutions.

Recognized Ukrainian legal theory scholars – professors Mykola Koziubra, Stanislav Pogrebniak, Oleksii Tseliev, and Yuliya Matveeva – lead discussions on different understanding of law, rule of law, practical implementation of the human rights standards, and modern approaches to the role of the state in creation of law. The trainers also presented the structure of the new manual on the General Legal Theory, which will be published by the PCU later in 2015.

The participants eagerly engaged in constructive discussions and provided their suggestions for the new manual. The work of the Summer School was built on combination of traditional lectures, structured discussions, and case study.

The Summer School was conducted under the Project on Advancing Legal and Human Rights Education in Ukraine, which the PCU is implementing in Ukraine in co-operation with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, Ministry of Education and Science, Ombudsman’s Office, and leading law universities. The PCU supports a comprehensive approach to reforming legal education in Ukraine and will continue the implementation of the Project for development and improvement of the legal education.