The main pillar of the programme is International arbitration.
1. International arbitration
After successfully concluding the research and writing skills module, you will fully immerse in the world of International arbitration. During the second block of the academic year, you will be confronted not only with the fundamental aspects of arbitration law, but you will also have an insight on commercial contracts. In the spring term, you will be exposed to distinctive futures of commercial and investment arbitration. You will also get the chance to participate in one of the numerous international moot courts.
The courses are taught by academics and professionals active in the field of international arbitration. You can expect to explore the world of international arbitration both from the legal counsels’ and from the arbitrators’ perspectives.
At the beginning of the programme, you receive an introduction to international arbitration. You also learn how to do independent legal research and how to report your findings through presentations and papers during a 15 EC Research and Writing Skills Course. Attendance of the meetings is mandatory. Successful completion of this Course is a precondition to being admitted to the master thesis.
The second block is composed of two 5 EC courses, i.e. Fundamentals of Arbitration Law and Commercial Contracts. The third block is composed of one 10 EC course, International Commercial Arbitration. The fourth block includes one 5 EC course, International Trade and Investment Law, and one 5 EC elective. The fifth and last block consists of a master thesis and one 5 EC course, Investment Arbitration.
Students of this LL.M. programme have the opportunity to apply for international moot competitions. Joining this competition means that the student gets 5 EC, personal coaching, learns to work in a team and gets the opportunity to represent the Erasmus University abroad. Students have various opportunities to receive a special certificate for extracurricular activities like being an Associate Member of the TTLA or Board Member of the Study trip committee.
This course focuses on essential principles governing international (commercial) arbitration. It offers an in-depth analysis of the notion of consent to arbitration, party autonomy, the powers of the arbitral tribunal as well as of the finality of arbitral awards. Throughout the course, you will be challenged to reflect on these concepts (amongst others) and on the question of how they are embedded in their home jurisdictions. Special attention will also be given to the difficulties related to determination of what law applies to the substantive and procedural aspects of international arbitration.
This course unravels the multiplicity of commercial contracts underlying international trade. It offers an insight in the fundamentals of a commercial contract. Despite the differences between these contracts in the contract chain, each commercial contract contains - to a large extent - similar clauses or types of clauses (e.g. on hardship and frustration, on the exclusion of liability, on damages, on confidentiality, on arbitration and on dispute resolution, etc).
The process of globalisation is evolving around various international economic institutions; this course discusses these institutions in a critical and rigorous manner. We will start with a brief introduction to the international economic order and the main rationales underpinning the legal institutions for trade liberalisation and global economic integration. The course will further zoom-in on the legal system established by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as on the system of Bilateral Investments Treaties (BITs).
Investor-State Dispute Settlement is one of the key elements of the investment protection regime under bilateral investment treaties (BITs). It is a(n exceptional) dispute resolution mechanism allowing a private investor (be it as it may an individual or corporation) to have a direct recourse against a host state in which it invested. During the course, the notion of investor and investment will be explained as well as different (substantive) standards of protection offered under BITs. Further, the notion of the state’s consent to arbitrate will be discussed.
Erasmus Student Network Opens external(ESN) is a non-profit international student organization. Their mission is to represent international students, thus provide opportunities for cultural understanding and self-development under the principle of Students Helping Students.
Their main focus is placed on current exchange students. They offer help in the academic, social and practical integration process. This is mainly done through activities in the local sections, which include cultural and social events such as trips to various places within the country, film nights, language projects, international food festivals and last, but not least, parties. In addition to that, many sections have introduced mentor systems, which help the international students mainly in academic and practical integration.
The Trade & Transport Law Association (TTLA) aims to involve internationally oriented students interested in the field of trade and transport. By visiting a broad spectrum of firms and companies engaged in this field they introduce students and practitioners to each other. Additionally, they offer a broad variety of social events in order to get acquainted with others that share your passion for this field of law!