With Europe at the crossroads, its future, stability, and prosperity, all depend on the how effectively the Council responds to the crucial challenges it is facing (old and new). Being often confused with the European Union, the Council of Europe is a much bigger organisation. It consists of 46-member states and until the beginning of the war against Ukraine included Russia. While the EU is focusing on economic cooperation, the mission of Council of Europe is to enhance human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
The Council of Europe is now facing serious challenges: the scepticism towards human rights grows in Europe, illiberal democracies are more wide spread here than ever in the past thirty years. This challenge is further heightened by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and the consequent expulsion of the Russian Federation from the Council of Europe, and of course with ongoing issues such as climate change, public health emergencies, and economic crises, there is much to discuss.
The participants of the School were welcomed by the current and former presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, former President of the European Court of Human Rights and current judges of the Court. The faculty of the School includes both local professors and invited guests who form a unique team of experts in the area of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Specialists - Dr Amanda Cahill-Ripley, Prof. Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou, Prof. Valsamis Mitsilegas, Prof. Helen Stalford, Prof. Amandine Garde, Prof. Michael Gordon, Dr Vassilis Tzevelekos, and Dr Antal Berkes from the School of Law and Social Justice - led interactive masterclasses to engage attendees in human rights, the rule of law, and democracy. High profile invited academics and practitioners from the Council of Europe, the UN Human Rights Council, the European Court of Human Rights, and the Universities of Birmingham, Tartu, and Virginia also joined the discussion.
Pictured left-right: Professor Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou, Professor Amandine Garde, Professor Helen Stalford, Professor Valsamis Mitsilegas. Dr Vassilis Tzevelekos, Co-organiser of the Summer School, is absent from the photos due to work-related travel.
In line with University’s commitment to the advancement of learning – a core component of the UN Sustainable Development Goals – the Summer School offers the opportunity to foster global partnerships, whilst providing quality education on key issues impacting human rights law in Europe. To ensure wide geographical participation, four scholarships to participants from Ukraine were provided by international law firm, Gibson Dunn; the University of Liverpool and the Co-operation Programmes Division of the Council of Europe. The Co-operation Programmes Division of the Council of Europe also offered two scholarships to participants from Georgia. We also offered a number of scholarships to talented students, one of which is personally provided by the Former President of the ECtHR, Professor Robert Spano. This helps us to ensure access to education to students and young professionals from various parts of Europe and beyond.
The Summer School proved to be hugely popular among potential participants, with over 250 applications received. What was set to be as an educational space for interactive, engaging learning and discussion, the Summer School was also recognised by the Council of Europe, which is a great achievement for the School of Law and Social Justice.
In response, Alexander Moss, the United Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe shared:
“This was a hugely important course, featuring brilliant and knowledgeable speakers. It provided a chance to discuss fully the roles of the Council of Europe, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and the European Court of Human Rights, and what these mean for people in the UK.”
Professor Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou, Co-organiser of the Liverpool Summer School, highlighted:
“Our first summer school was yet another step in cementing close collaboration and partnership between the School of Law and Social Justice and the Council of Europe. Unique in both its content and attending guests, we’re delighted that our summer school attracted such high interest. There is definitely a strong possibility the event will become an annual feature in the School.
Participants were exposed to the top concentrate of expertise and world leading research in the area of the law of the council of Europe, gaining high-level insight from experienced speakers. The summer school adds to the pre-existing opportunities available to our students in the School of Law and Social Justice, with internships available in Strasbourg to work with one of the Judges of the European Court of Human Rights. We also host a judge of the European Court here in Liverpool annually. These are necessary steps we’re implementing to ensure our students and researchers are well-versed in human rights law and it’s application from a global perspective.”
Find out more
- Read an overview of the event on University of Liverpool News
- Read an overview of the event on the School of Law and Social Justice News
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