Бакалавриат
2026/2027
Международное право
ID 1203714
Статус:
Курс обязательный (Международный бизнес)
Где читается:
Высшая школа бизнеса
Когда читается:
4-й курс, 2 модуль
Охват аудитории:
для своего кампуса
Язык:
английский
Кредиты:
4
Контактные часы:
40
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The course on international law examines the nature, principles, and instruments of the field, studying the structure and mechanisms of the international legal system, analysing and discussing the main issues that currently challenge the international community.
This course is primarily aimed at providing students with the necessary tools to consider the challenges and opportunities for business endeavours that the international legal aspects of social life provide. From the pragmatic point of view, the course may provide the students an idea of what competences are needed when their managed enterprise faces an international legal issue. The basic understanding of international law is expected to help students in their communications with legal counsels, including regarding litigation and conflict resolution in the transnational context. In the first part, the course will cover a wide array of introductory topics, such as specific features of international law as opposed to national law, governing norms and sources of international law, responsibility for violation of international law, sanctions and international law, and the settlement of international disputes. In the second part the course will address specific areas of international law that may be of more interest to the conduct of economic activities, such as business and international human rights law, international investment law, regional economic integration, international intellectual property law, and international environmental law. The course will analyse and discuss treaties, decisions of the UN bodies, and other international legal instruments, including for regional economic integration at the Eurasian Economic Union. A special emphasis will be made on the relevant case law of international and national courts.
During the course on international law, students are supposed to participate in a moot court exercise simulating a case before one of the international courts and complete a written exam consisting of a multiple-choice test and a case study.
Learning Objectives
- The main purpose of the course is to develop skills to apply norms of international law, conduct legal research individually and in a team and solve cases involving the issues of international law.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- The students should gain the following knowledge and understanding: the role and importance of international law in the regulation of social relations.
- The students should gain the following knowledge and understanding: the basic principles of International law, its main features (sources, subjects), the structure and mechanisms of the international legal system, the role and functioning of global and regional international organizations; as well as the role, functions and procedural mechanisms of the international and regional courts, special tribunals and quasi-judicial human rights bodies.
- The students should gain the following knowledge and understanding: the International Law terminology and academic legal writings; the sources of international law and learn how to identify the applicable law to solve possible case law (weekly classes, exams, written assignments).
- The students should gain the following knowledge and understanding: the law of treaties and the role of states and international organizations in law-making; historical evolution of International law, human rights law and the other International Law branches and their current trends.
- The students should gain the following skills and abilities: to learn and use specific terminology and sources of International Law; to develop practical abilities of legal research and analysis of customary law, treaties, soft law, decisions, and doctrines; to use appropriate referencing and bibliographic methods.
- The students should gain the following skills and abilities: to read and correctly analyse case law (International Court of Justice, ICC, ICTY; ICTR, ECtHR, CJEU, and international arbitration court) using lawyering skills and legal argumentation).
- The students should gain the following skills and abilities: to use the major legal databases on international law and European law such as Peace Palace Library, ICJ website, Court of Justice, HUDOC, EURLEX, JSTOR, Lexis Nexis, WESTLAW, and the major journals, blogs or dedicated websites for carrying out research activity and analyse current issues in the international law field.
- Students should gain the following competencies and abilities: to develop a professional methodology to work, learning to conduct exhaustive legal research, correct identification of relevant judicial decision and applicable law, which will be necessary for the fulfilment of their future scientific and professional tasks; to apply a systematic legal approach and using comparative methods.
- Students should gain the following competencies and abilities: to carry out professional activities in the field of International Law, Human Rights Law and/or Humanitarian Assistance; to identify legal issues in the field of International law and to develop an independent analysis of such issues.
- Students should gain the following competencies and abilities: to use national and international regulatory acts and judicial decisions to protect human and civil rights and freedoms, and legitimate interests of legal entities; to represent individuals in front of domestic and international courts, as well as quasi-judicial bodies; to analyse scientific publications and reports on PIL topics.
- Define the core concepts, terms and principles of international law, including its sources, subjects and main features, and the structure of the international legal system.
- Explain the role of international law in governing social and international relations. This includes the roles of global and regional international organizations and international and regional courts, and how states and international organizations make law through treaties.
- Apply the sources of international law (treaties, customary law, soft law, judicial decisions and academic writing) to work out which law governs a given case or international economic activity, citing sources and references correctly.
- Analyse decisions of international bodies, such as International Court of Justice, ITLOS, ECtHR, CJEU> and international arbitral tribunals, along with academic publications and reports, to identify the legal issues, the reasoning and the rules applied.
- Evaluate current issues in international law using Peace Palace Library, the ICJ website, journals, blogs and other specialist sources, and form a reasoned, independent judgement.
- Develop a sound legal research method and well-argued legal positions that use national and international laws and court decisions to protect human and civil rights and freedoms and the legitimate interests of legal entities.
Course Contents
- Topic 1 – Introduction to Public International Law
- Topic 2 – Coercion and Responsibility in International Law
- Topic 3 – Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes
- Topic 4 – Business and Human Rights under International Law
- Topic 5 – International Investment Law
- Topic 6 – International Trade Law
- Topic 7 – Regional Economic Integration Law
- Topic 8 – International Environmental Law
- Topic 9 – Introduction to International Private Law and Intellectual Property Law
Assessment Elements
- In-class discussionThe students will be evaluated on their performance during the seminars. Each student is expected to attend all the seminars and be prepared on the topic of the seminar in advance. The students must study the assigned material. The knowledge of the students can be assessed in class through written tests (close and/or open questions), as well as on the ground of his/her participation in class discussions (solving cases, answers to the questions, debates). This course uses interactive educational technologies (work in small groups, interactive seminars; brainstorming sessions, debates, extensive home-reading). Students are expected to be well prepared; they must carefully study all materials assigned before the seminar. Students are expected to spend 3-4 academic hours of home reading, researching, and preparation per week. Every lecture will be followed by the correspondent seminars as specified in this syllabus. In order to be prepared for the lectures, it is necessary to use the sources enlisted in this syllabus. To prepare for the seminar, it is necessary to study carefully the material assigned before the lesson. Particular attention should be paid to the basic principles, sources, and the correct terminology of Public International Law. When preparing, it is recommended to refer to the works of the highly qualified PIL scholars. It is compulsory to study, analyze and make references to the decisions of international judicial and quasi-judicial bodies. Lectures by authoritative international scholars on various topics of the course can be viewed online at the Library of Audiovisual Materials on UN International Law at http://www.un.org/law/avl/ . Comments on the most pressing issues of Public International Law can be found on the websites of the different blogs, e.g. of the European Society of International Law blog at: http://www.ejiltalk.org.
- Written examA written examination (in class; in a written form; max = 10 points) Two open questions (the use of additional materials is forbidden) and one case-study (the use of additional legal sources, notes, and Internet is required). Duration: 1 h 20 min.
- Moot CourtA written memorandum (preparation of a written memorandum (team-work, 2-5 students)) and oral pleadings; max = 10 points
- Attendance
Interim Assessment
- 2026/2027 2nd module0.2 * In-class discussion + 0.3 * Moot Court + 0.4 * Written exam + 0.1 * Attendance
