Universität des Saarlandes - Europa-Institut

Campus Saarbrücken by Oliver Dietze

Saarland University is a modern university within the Saar-Lor-Lux region -  a dynamic part of Europe defined by the shared borders between Germany, France and Luxembourg. An international perspective has been a defining feature of Saarland University ever since it was established in cooperation with France in 1948. Today, 18.500 young people are studying in Saarbrücken and Homburg (faculty of medicine), 17 per cent of whom are international students. Located in a pleasant woodland setting, the university campus offers students and researchers a broad range of sporting and cultural activities, which together with the numerous cafés and restaurants make the campus an ideal place to relax between lectures or after work. And thanks to the high-speed ICE train link it takes only two hours to travel from Saarbrücken to Paris.

The Europa-Institut at Saarland University is the second oldest institution of its kind in Europe. For more than six decades, the Europa-Institut has been excellently educating young academics from all over the world in European and international law. Since then, more than 5,000 students from all over the world have graduated from the program and now hold positions in European and international organizations, internationally oriented law firms, international companies as well as in national governments and administrations. Each year, renowned lecturers from all over the world come to teach students from over 30 countries to prepare them for the challenges of the European and international job market.

The Europa-Institut qualifies as a model program for European Studies and is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the European Commission and the “Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft”. It stands for high educational standards, close contact and regular exchange with institutions in the European Union, the Council of Europe as well as with the German Federal Foreign Office. The Europa-Institut was thoroughly examined and certified by the ACQUIN agency within the context of the system accreditation of Saarland University. The program accreditation states that the Europa-Institut offers both excellent research opportunities and excellent quality in teaching. The Europa-Institut also received the so-called “Certificate for Quality of Internationalisation (CeQuInt)” for the successful implementation of an internationalization strategy in its Master҆s program.

Key Facts about the Master's program

• One-year Master's program focusing on European and International Law
• Program can be done in English and/or German
• Five modules are offered: Module 1: European Integration and Modules 2-5 with the study units European Economic Law, Foreign Trade and Investment, International Dispute Resolution and European and International Protection of Human Rights
• Title “Master of Laws” (LL.M.)
• Highly qualified specialists from the academic and business world
• Practice-oriented teaching combined with excellence in academic training
• 75 students from 40 countries
• Excursions to European and international institutions
• Intensive support from the Europa-Institut team
• Access to an international network via our Alumni Association EVER e.V.
• Excellent preparation for the European and international job market

Module 1: European Integration

Module 1 focuses on the basics and foundations of European law. Aside from the more classical fields, lectures will also cover subjects such as European Private Law, and the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, in order to provide students with a basic understanding of and an insight into the legal inter-connectedness of the European Union and its institutions. Through a variety of practical simulation courses, such as the ECJ Moot Court or EuroSim, students are able to put their acquired theoretical knowledge into practice.

Module 2: Study Unit European Economic Law

The study unit comprises various areas of law which are of fundamental importance not only in Europe but in a global perspective, with regard to both economic and legal practice. The courses convey sound knowledge of the general framework that characterizes economic activity in the European Union (the Economic and Monetary Union, Banking Law and European Tax Law). Students may also deepen their knowledge of more particular regulations which economic activities in the EU might be subject to (e.g. European Competition Law, Economic and Competition Policy) or that potentially accompany such activities (e.g. Intellectual Property Law). The challenges of economic globalization are taken into account in courses in which the subject matter extends beyond EU borders. In addition, there are numerous case studies offered as part of the study unit which allow students to put their theoretical knowledge into practice. Moreover, students have the opportunity to focus on European Management.

Module 3: Study Unit Foreign Trade and Investment

The study unit deals with economic globalization especially in the areas of trade, investment and capital transactions. Courses such as International Trade, Investment and Raw Materials Law and further selected parts of International Economic Law convey essential knowledge of key material in International Economic Law. Special attention is given to the interplay between economics and law, a relationship that is becoming increasingly important in both international and European legal practice. Courses that delve more deeply into the subject matter include lectures based on the Foreign Trade Law of the European Union and its member states, substantive WTO Law (particularly focusing on the GATT, the GATS and the TRIPS Agreement) and the harmonization of national trade laws. Certain courses are centered on legal areas that are becoming increasingly more important as a result of increased international trade (such as laws relating to financial supervision). In addition, courses on international economic and monetary policy as well as on international economic sanctions laws are offered.

Module 4: Study Unit International Dispute Resolution

The study unit International Dispute Resolution familiarizes students with typical problems and the basic concepts of international commercial arbitration, international investment arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. The aim of the study unit is to focus on efficient and fair dispute resolution in a transnational context, in a world where commercial courts are national institutions. This study unit offers, in addition to the named lecture topics, complementing lectures for increased understanding and insight, for instance in “International Business Transactions”, a lecture focusing on students acquiring specialized expertise as well as insight into the many cultural perspectives and aspects relevant to doing business across borders, in order for students to get an enhanced understanding of the complexity of cross-border trade. Case studies, negotiation and procedural training are an important part of the study unit and provide an ideal addition to the lectures on offer. This enables students to obtain an ideal mix of theoretically minded lectures, equipping students with the necessary analytical abilities, and more practically applicable courses, allowing students to put their acquired theoretical knowledge into practice. Distinguished guest lecturers form an integral part of the program. Furthermore, excursions to international institutions (such as the ICC in Paris) are on the agenda.

Module 5: Study Unit International and European Protection of Human Rights

Participants in this study unit will focus on the main features, limits and developments in human rights protection and will be shown how to put this knowledge successfully into practice. The study unit deals with the development and realization of human rights in public international law and in international treaties on a global level as well as on a regional European level and their respective interrelations. Moreover, the study unit focuses on the relationship between the European Union and the European Convention on Human Rights as well as on the practice of the bodies of the United Nations, the European Court of Justice, the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. The practical application of human rights law is of particular relevance and interest for the purposes of this study unit. The courses cover both past and pending case law which addresses current issues. But it is also about more general questions such as those relating to the rights of individuals in relation to the sovereignty of the European Union and moreover to the point on how and whether the “neverending story” of an accession of the European Union to the European Convention on Human Rights can be brought to a successful conclusion.

Module 6: Master's Thesis

The Master's thesis constitutes an independent academic thesis in the fields of European or international law. The Master's thesis may be written in English or German. Students have a deadline of three months to write and submit their thesis. Pursuant to its successful completion, an additional amount of 15 credit points will be awarded. Students are free to choose when to start working on their Master's thesis. Thus, the Master's thesis can also be written at a later stage, for example when already working. Once it has been successfully approved and graded by a nominated lecturer, the title “Master of Laws” is awarded to the student.

Following the lectures, students have to either take a written or an oral exam; credit points are awarded for almost all of the courses. A total of at least 45 credit points must be attained during the course of the study program. 15 additional credit points are awarded after the completion and approval of the Master's thesis, making it a total number of 60 credit points that have to be reached for completion of the Master's program.

Credit Points

A total of at least 45 credit points must be attained during the course of the study program. 15 additional credit points are awarded after the completion and approval of the Master's thesis, making it a total number of 60 credit points that have to be reached for completion of the Master's program.

The lecturers of the Europa-Institut ensure a highly practical approach to the program. In addition to professors teaching at Saarland University, the Europa-Institut welcomes guest professors from all over the world. Included are top EU civil servants from the Commission, Council, Parliament and the Court of Justice, as well as leading personalities from the judiciary and the business world, administration and the political sector.

The mixture of lectures, seminars, interactive exercises, moot courts, language courses, communication skills training and discussions, allows the Europa-Institut to offer an optimal combination of theoretic knowledge and practical application. A great additional advantage of the faculty is the opportunity for students to establish direct contact to top level professionals, a fact that often leads to the attainment of highly sought-after internships and thus constitutes a great step towards promising careers.

In terms of research, the Europa-Institut has an excellently equipped library which also serves as a European Documentation Centre, as it contains all official publications of the European Union, and an IT center exclusive to students of the Europa-Institut. In respect of publications, the Europa-Institut has been publishing its own academic journal, ZEuS (“Zeitschrift für europarechtliche Studien”) since 1998. In addition, the NOMOS-Verlag offers a forum for the publishing of speeches, dissertations and Master's theses, exclusively for the Europa-Institut. Also, the Europa-Institut is the editor to a series of collected materials that combine key documents for each respective field of the LL.M. program.

The requirements for admission to the LL.M. program "European and International Law" at the Europa-Institut are as follows

• a university degree in law or in a comparable subject (business studies, humanities) from a German or foreign university and
• proof of sound knowledge of German and/or English

The Master's program "European and International Law" begins in the winter semester.

The deadline for applications is always 15 July, directly preceding the winter semester that candidates wish to commence in. Late applications may be accepted until 30 September.

Exceptions may be made for commencement of the program in the summer semester. Applicants who are already in possession of their confirmation of degree letters by spring are therefore encouraged to apply by 1 April.

The number of available places is limited. Candidates are selected on the basis of academic record and grade average, as well as criteria based on their academic qualifications and their previous field(s) of study.

More information on www.europainstitut.de/application

The tuition fees are 5,600 Euro€ per academic year (2,800 €Euro per semester).

An additional administrative fee is payable to Saarland University. This entitles students to an ID-Card, which authorizes free use of public transportation within the Saarland and accident insurance. In addition, it confirms student status and can therefore be used to obtain student discounts.

If you would like to know more about scholarship opportunities, please visit the relevant section of our website where you will find more extensive information. www.europainstitut.de

Numerous scholarships are granted to applicants by the governments or state departments of their home countries. Searching locally for grants is therefore always a good place to start.

The Europa-Institut is part of Saarland University, a campus university located close to the city centre of Saarbrücken.

Saarbrücken is a very pleasant and active city to live in. Due to its proximity to France, the locals have in many ways adopted the French way of life, as can be seen when strolling around the picturesque St. Johanner Markt with its many cafés on a sunny afternoon.
However, although the city has much to offer in itself, exploring other attractive destinations is never a difficult task due to its central location. The cities of Metz and Luxembourg, for example, are within an hour of Saarbrücken, and both well worth a visit. Paris can be reached in under 2 hours by TGV or ICE, and, for a less “cosmopolitan” feel, the pretty villages of Alsace or Lorraine are only a stone's throw away.

The Europa-Institut assists students with finding accommodation.

Saarland University offers its students a range of activities to participate in. Apart from the numerous parties and get-togethers organized by students and held both on and off campus, the University provides students with the possibility of participating (generally even free of charge!) in different kinds of sporting activities, cultural activities (including theatre groups, the university orchestra, choir or cinema society), and language or other additional skills courses, as well as membership of international student societies such as ELSA and AIESEC.

Excursions to the institutions of the European Union and other international institutions in Brussels, Strasbourg, Luxembourg, The Hague and Geneva form an integral part of the study program, as do interactive academic events such as moot courts (modeled both on the European Court of Justice and on the arbitration proceedings of the WTO) and EUROSIM, the annual simulation of European decision-making processes which is organized by the Europa-Institut in cooperation with a consortium of universities from the State of New York and Europe.

With a student population of approximately 20,000, life in Saarbrücken offers a variety of pastimes. For those who are nocturnal, the city offers several nightclubs, a wide variety of bars and numerous international restaurants. For those who enjoy the fresh air, the many beer gardens and grassy areas around the river "Saar" have much to offer. Where culture is concerned, Saarbrücken is home to the main theatre and opera house of the Saarland, the Staatstheater, as well as to numerous small theatres, including those specializing in more “arty” and original performances. In addition, summer time is festival time, meaning that a range of events for a variety of ages are on offer during the summer months.

From 16 to 27 August 2017 the European Summer Course 2017 takes place at the Europäische Akademie Otzenhausen. This year's Summer Course is titled "A Continent in Troubled Times – EU's Perspectives in a Changing World". More information on www.europainstitut.de/esc