Frits Kalshoven Competition

Course goals

After this course:
 

•     the student is able to identify legal issues involved in factually and legally complex case on international humanitarian law;
•     the student is able to carry out in-depth legal research independently;
•     the student is able to defend the argumentation from the perspective of a particular party’s interests (advocacy);
•     the student is able to construct a layered argumentation using several techniques (legal reasoning);
•     the student is able to conduct research in a small team (teamwork).

Content

The Frits Kalshoven Competition is named after one of the world’s most renowned experts in international humanitarian law. The competition aims to give students an opportunity to engage in realistic legal simulations of armed conflict situations. The Competition is composed of many different elements, including roleplays, simulations and visits to relevant international institutions. Through these activities, students have the opportunity to enhance and improve their knowledge of international humanitarian law, and to see how the IHL is applied in practice. The core element of the Competition is the moot court, which will take place on the final day of the Competition. Through a fictional case, students are encouraged to rise to the top of their abilities and demonstrate their acquired expertise in IHL in front of a highly respected and experienced jury. In former editions, members of the jury included judges from the International Court of Justice and the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, delegates from the International Committee of the Red Cross and legal advisors from the armed forces.
 
Skills and qualities needed:
• An interest in the law of armed conflict and aptitude for self-study
• A strong passion for team work
• An enthusiasm for the practical application of the law
• Good oral skills

 
Participation in the competition and the preparation that it entails is worth the equivalent of 5 ECTs. Students participating in the competition will be graded on the quality of their performance during the competition which will be measured on the basis of the organiser’s report. Students will also be graded on the quality of the preparations in the run up to the competition. Students will largely prepare for the competition through self-study starting in mid-November but will also be provided with coaching on aspects of the legal framework.
 
The Frits Kalshoven Competition is named after one of the world’s most renowned experts in international humanitarian law. The competition aims to give students an opportunity to engage in realistic legal simulations of armed conflict situations. The Competition is composed of many different elements, including roleplays, simulations and visits to relevant international institutions. Through these activities, students have the opportunity to enhance and improve their knowledge of international humanitarian law, and to see how the IHL is applied in practice. The core element of the Competition is the moot court, which will take place on the final day of the Competition. Through a fictional case, students are encouraged to rise to the top of their abilities and demonstrate their acquired expertise in IHL in front of a highly respected and experienced jury. In former editions, members of the jury included judges from the International Court of Justice and the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, delegates from the International Committee of the Red Cross and legal advisors from the armed forces.
 
Skills and qualities needed:
• An interest in the law of armed conflict and aptitude for self-study
• A strong passion for team work
• An enthusiasm for the practical application of the law
• Good oral skills

 
Participation in the competition and the preparation that it entails is worth the equivalent of 5 ECTs. Students participating in the competition will be graded on the quality of their performance during the competition which will be measured on the basis of the organiser’s report. Students will also be graded on the quality of the preparations in the run up to the competition. Students will largely prepare for the competition through self-study starting in mid-November but will also be provided with coaching on aspects of the legal framework.