The seventh IFLOS Summer Academy at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea took place from 21 July to 16 August, 2013 and focused once again on the “Uses and Protection of the Sea – Legal, Economic and Natural Science Perspectives” while maintaining our banner for this and future events, namely “Promoting Ocean Governance and Peaceful Settlement of Disputes”.
The Foundation set a new record by welcoming no less than 37 participants from 32 different countries from around the world. With nationals from 8 countries not having been represented at the Summer Academy before, our “Global Reach” grew to 92 nations with 221 Alumni on all continents (see “Our alumni“). Eight of the attendees were selected by the Tribunal within the framework of the Nippon Program; 29 were chosen by the Foundation in cooperation with the Tribunal. The number of applications rose slightly against last year and the Foundation took note of a sustained high degree of academic qualification and professional achievements amongst the applicants. The Foundation’s supporters (China Institute of International Studies, Edmund Siemers-Stiftung and German Foreign Office {Auswärtiges Amt}) as well as Ince & Co. International Law Firm made it possible to award 9 scholarships, 2 partial scholarships and 5 travel grants. Given the fact that The Nippon Foundation enabled 8 other participants to take part in the course, 19 young academicians, most from developing countries, i.e. about half of the participants, attended the Academy with financial aid.
As its predecessors, the 2013 Academy covered a variety of Law of the Sea, Maritime Law and related topics and dealt extensively with specific subjects of interest such as marine environmental protection, oil pollution and its consequences, as well as ship-building and vessel-financing. As before, a visit to the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law in Hamburg was part of the programme, followed by a reception of our partner institution. Based on the experience from previous Summer Academies, the schedule maintained the distinguishable block on Maritime Delimitation, where the traditional practical workshop with a prelude of mineral and petroleum resources topics was followed by the legal and political solutions. A copy of the Schedule is attached.
During the four weeks of the program, the participants had the opportunity to meet an impressive faculty composed of over 35 renowned personalities who travelled to Hamburg from many different corners of the world to share their expertise and experience with the participants on a pro bono basis. The Foundation is especially grateful for the invaluable contributions by the members of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, namely President Shunji Yanai, , former President Thomas A. Mensah, former Vice President Helmut Türk, Judges Tafsir Ndiaye, Vladimir Golitsyn and David Attard. Many members of the faculties 2007 to 2012 – legal and economic experts, natural scientists and experienced practitioners in maritime affairs – could be attracted to return to Hamburg. A copy of the List of Lecturers is attached.
The traditional Open Event featured a lecture by Michael Lodge (Deputy to the Secretary General & Legal Advisor, International Seabed Authority) entitled “Deep Seabed Mining – Is it about to begin?”. The session, this time held at Bucerius Law School, was very well attended. For further details and material see our “Events” page.
Since this year, competing in the Moot Court Tournament is mandatory unless a participant is not a lawyer or excused due to extraordinary circumstances. As we maintained four teams, these were challenged to elect a convenor as well as four speakers while the rest of the team provided legal and other support. The speakers competed in the orals of the Moot Court Tournament held in the Court Room of the Tribunal and gave an impressive performance. Although there was not much time to prepare the memorials and the hearings, counsels came up with well-prepared arguments and sharp answers to the questions put to them by the moot court bench consisting of former Vice President Helmut Türk from the Tribunal (presiding), Professors Doris König and Alexander Prölß as well as Attorney-at Law Christoph Hasche. As before, the moot court judges chose a winning team and awarded a special recognition for best oral argumentation.
In 2013, the Foundation decided that the usual Resolution had run its course after 6 consecutive years. Instead, participants not competing in the Moot Court were asked to keep a course diary and submit a summary. As LE Phuong Lan (Vietnam), not being a trained lawyer, was the only participant excused, the copy of her summary is attached.
Although the schedule was tight, there was some time reserved for extra-curricular activities. The participants had the opportunity to do some sight-seeing in Hamburg and its vicinity during a very informative bus tour as well as a boat tour through the port and they went to the medieval city of Lübeck. Furthermore, the participants visited the Blohm & Voss shipyard across the river. Once again, the Foundation managed to organise an excursion to Berlin, with a visit to the Reichstag. There were also various social functions; Bucerius Law School invited the Class of 2013 for a barbeque, Ince & Co hosted an evening at a typical Hamburg sailor’s pub and Frank Leonhardt a reception at the premises of Leonhardt & Blumberg.
At the close of the Summer Academy, the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg held an impressive and well attended reception in the Town Hall, hosted by Senator of Justice Jana Schiedeck, where the participants received their certificates.
Although the participants came from very diverse legal and cultural backgrounds they quickly bonded, got along with each other very well and formed a very active and interested group. With their help, the Foundation will try to keep track of all of them to further facilitate networking and add to the Alumni circle founded by the Class of 2007. The feedback given by the participants was in every sense overwhelmingly positive, especially concerning the consistency of the group, the quality of the lectures delivered and the organisation.
The Foundation should like to express sincere thanks to President Yanai and Registrar Gautier for facilitating the generous grant from CIIS as well as for allowing to use the small courtroom in the main building for classes; without these invaluable contributions we would not have been able to invite the largest class ever. We would like to thank all the staff members of the Tribunal who have supported the team of the Foundation so well before and during the course of the Summer Academy.
After the Summer Academy is before the Summer Academy