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Summer School 2025: Effectiveness of the Council of Europe in tackling the pressing challenges

Exploring the execution of ECtHR judgments and the complexities of migration.

Dates: 7 - 18 July 2025

Location: School of Law and Social Justice 

The third Liverpool Summer School in the Law of the Council of Europe.

What will be discussed?

For over 75 years, the Council of Europe unites Europe around the values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. In 2025, the participants of the Summer School will debate whether the Council of Europe is successful in its mission. The aim of the summer school is twofold.

Firstly, the experts will assess the effectiveness of execution of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and other bodies of the Council of Europe. Secondly, the Summer School will also address the pressing challenges of migration, a critical legal and political issue facing every European state. Discussions will examine the Council of Europe’s role in protecting the rights of migrants, analysing relevant legal standards, policies, and the responsibilities of member states in this context.  

The course will feature insights from key decision-makers within the Council of Europe, leading academics, and other stakeholders. Through these discussions, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the Council of Europe, its effectiveness in protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The participants will gain the knowledge necessary for research, effective advocacy, implementation and public policy design.

What is the format?

The Summer School will be set as an educational space for interactive and engaging learning, and discussion. The Summer School will last for two weeks. Seminars and workshops will be led by high profile invited researchers and practitioners. These activities will be complemented by interactive sessions delivered by academic staff members of the School of Law and Social Justice of the University of Liverpool. Please note that participation will be in-person only, as online attendance will not be available.

Who can participate?

This Summer School will be useful for advanced postgraduate taught (Master's) and research (PhD) students, post-doctoral researchers, early career scholars, practitioners such as lawyers, judges, civil servants interested in the law of the Council of Europe, and in human rights, the rule of law and democracy. While the program is open to lawyers, it also welcomes individuals specialising in related fields, such as political science, sociology, criminology etc., who possess the necessary background knowledge to engage effectively in the discussions. 

What is the language of the Summer School?

All Summer School activities will take place in English. Participants shall be proficient in English.

Who is the faculty?

  • Professor Vincent Chetail (Geneva Graduate Institute)
  • Mr Hugh Chetwynd (TBC) (Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment)
  • Judge Mykola Gnatovskyy (Judge of the European Court of Human Rights)
  • Ms Lilja Gretarsdottir (Head of Department for the Implementation of Human Rights, Justice and Legal Co-operation Standards, Council of Europe)
  • Judge Mattias Guyomar (TBC) (Judge of the European Court of Human Rights)
  • Dr Julia Kozma (TBC) (Member of the SPT)
  • Judge Martin Kuijer (Justice of the Supreme Court of the Netherlands, Vice-President of Venice Commission)
  • Mr Sandy Moss (UK permanent representative to the Council of Europe)
  • Professor Michele Nicoletti (the former President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe)
  • Professor Aoife Nolan (President of the European Committee of Social Rights)
  • Dr Theodoros Roussopoulos (TBC) (the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe)

University of Liverpool staff members will also provide interactive master classes. They will be led by:

How much does it cost?

Participation fee
£800 GBP

Accommodation
Bed and breakfast accommodation will be approximately £800 GBP

Scholarships
A number of scholarships will be provided to the selected participants covering the participation fee and bed-and-breakfast accommodation only. The scholarships are provided by the Council of Europe and the University of Liverpool's International Law and Human Rights Unit.

Visas
We cannot offer any visa related support. However, accepted participants will receive a letter confirming their place in the summer school which they can then demonstrate during their visa application. Please leave ample time to apply for a UK visa as you may experience delays. 

How to apply

Please note that the deadline for applications for the Summer School has now passed. Thank you for your interest.

Deadline and outcomes

Applicants who wished to be considered for scholarships must have submited no later than 23:59 (UK time) on 24 February 2025.

Applications from fee-paying participants closed at 23:59 (UK time) on 30 April 2025.

No further applications will be considered for the 2025 Summer School.

Organisers

Contact us

Please direct any enquiries to: slsjmret@liverpool.ac.uk.

Additional resources

This third Liverpool Summer School in the Law of the Council of Europe is an initiative of the Council of Europe Days: telling the Council of Europe’s story launched to raise awareness of the Council of Europe in its member states.