APPLICATION FOR RGSL ACCREDITATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I
Selfassesment
PART II
Attachments and explanations
II-1 Programme schedule and course outlines
II-2 The development plan for the educational premises and information services
II-3 The RGSL Law Library and Information technologies
II-4 RGSL alumni (year 1999/2000) labour market survey
II-5 RGSL alumni (year 2000/2001) labour market survey
II-6 Employers’ assessment of RGSL graduates
II-7 Diploma supplement translation
II-8 The RGSL Faculty list
II-9 RGSL Faculty biographies
II-10 Guest lecturers during academic year 2001/2002
PART III
RGSL regulatory documentation
1. Agreement on the foundation of the RGSL
2. Law on the agreement on the foundation of the RGS
3. Certificate of registration
4. Declaration from State Revenue Service
5. Certificate of registration of the RGSL Student Association
At the moment the RGSL Constitution is submitted to the Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia for further submission to the State Secretaries` Meeting and the relevant ministries. Supposedly, the RGSL Constitution will be reviewed for further submission to the Cabinet of Ministers` approval in September 2002.
All the documentation and additional information is available at the RGSL Administration, Alberta iela 13, Riga
Riga, 18 June 2002
SELFASSESMENT – TABLE OF CONTENTS
Goals and tasks of the study programme Page 4
The purpose of the school
The aim of the study programme
Mission
Language and tuition fees
Development of the study programme Page 5
Changes in the curriculum
Changes in the implementation
Implementation of the study programme Page 6
Teaching methodology
Resource analysis
Student involvement in research
Interschool and international cooperation
Cooperation with future employers
Grading and evaluation system Page 8
Grades and exams
Course evaluations and analysis
Thesis evaluation
Students Page 10
Admission
Student body
Student association
Faculty Page 12
Professors and Associate professors
Doctoral students and assistant lecturers
Visiting professors and lecturers
Faculty meetings
Suggestions and improvements Page 14
LL.M programme
Doctoral programme
Faculty
Other suggestions
Riga Graduate School of Law, Accreditation year 2002
SELFASSESMENT
1. Goals and tasks of the study programme
1.1 The purpose of the school
The Riga Graduate School of Law was founded in 1998 by the Latvian and Swedish governments with the aim to:
a. Operate as an independent and autonomous academic institution of graduate level education;
b. make studies available to qualified students irrespective of nationality;
c. train future Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian law teachers and researchers.
1.2 The aim of the study programme
RGSL offers a 50 week long post-graduate law programme, which renders a Master of International and European law, LL.M.
The aim is to provide law graduates from all the Baltic States with in-depth understanding for the general aspects of international law within the fields of Public and Private International law as well as European Union Law and Human Rights. Students are prepared for future careers in their respective countries but in an international working environment.
The bilateral agreement between the governments of Latvia and Sweden states that “The RGSL shall offer its students academic education based on the rule of law, respect for human rights and principles of political democracy. The academic programme shall include international public law and international treaties, international private law, international trade law and international commercial transactions, the European Union law and substantive trade law”. (Article 1.5)
1.3 Mission
Following the guidelines expressed by the founding documents, the RGSL has developed the following mission:
1) to offer to students from the Baltic states the opportunity to acquire legal thinking and understanding of the general principles which form the basis of all Western democratic systems;
2) to prepare State and private sector lawyers for the changes that are occurring as a result of the development of democratic legal systems and for participation in the European Union; and
3) to function as a catalyst for change in the legal systems of the Baltic States.
In line with this mission, the Master’s Programme is oriented to the practical application of the guiding principles of Western European legal systems, providing the opportunity for Baltic lawyers to supplement the education they have acquired at their national University or any other institution of higher learning. In the programme of studies emphasis is placed on Human Rights Law, European Union Law and comparative aspects of International Business and Trade Law, Comparative Constitutional Law and Administrative Law.
1.4 Language and tuition fees
In accordance with the Law regulating the bilateral agreement between the governments of Sweden and Latvia, the LL.M programme is conducted in English language and is free of any tuition fees or costs. Upon enrolment, students from the Baltic States must have a command of the State language of the respective Baltic State. (Art. 1.6)
Since English is the language of instruction at RGSL, special effort is put into teaching legal writing in the English language. Students are offered lectures and individual tutorials to evaluate their written assignments. Although a variety of techniques are used, the main aim is to ensure that each student is equipped with the language skills required to complete their thesis at master’s level in English. Training begins with the Introductory Course in Legal Reasoning and Thinking, where writing activities are integrated intensively with reading, discussion, analysis, research and correct use of terminology. Legal writing, in conjunction with legal research, continues throughout the year and concludes with preparation for thesis writing.
2. Development of the study programme
2.1 Changes in the curriculum
Over the past two years serious work has been put into the development of the study programme, with the aim to offer a well balanced, attractive and internationally recognised curriculum. In the process members of the Academic Council, as well as faculty and student representatives have taken part. Special attention has been paid to suggestions of improvements stated in student evaluations, which are conducted after each course. As a result the study programme contents has been modified and the balance between compulsory and optional courses has shifted to the benefit of the latter.
One of the most difficult tasks in developing the LL.M curriculum is to find the most satisfactory division between the different areas of law and to meet the needs and wishes of students, faculty and the RGSL owners. Much time and effort has therefore been spent on this issue. As a result, the Faculty has presented changes in the curriculum for the academic year 2002/2003 where the division is as follows[1]:
Module 1 – Introductory course & Legal ethics (3 weeks)
Module 2 – Compulsory (basic) course in: Comparative law (14%), Public International law (28%), EU Institutional law (28%) and International Commercial law (28%).
Module 3 – Three parallel blocks running simultaneously, each offering three courses in:
Public International law – Human Rights law, Law and the Public interest and International Dispute settlement/Legal theory and Practise
EU law – EC Internal market, EC Competition law and Intellectual property law
International commercial law – International sales, transport & insurance, e-commerce, Company & Insolvency law, Payment systems and International Commercial arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Students are bound to choose two of three courses within each period by combining two of the three mentioned subject areas.
In addition the course in Legal research and thesis preparation, which starts at the beginning of the spring semester, offers specialised seminars within different fields related to the thesis writing.
Module 4 – Legal research, Thesis preparation and writing.
This model is a synthesis of the experience gathered over the past three years and will hopefully serve well for several years to come, without any need for further substantial changes. The programme guarantees that all students gain at least a minimum knowledge in all three chore fields of law that are taught at RGSL, and grants the possibility to specialise in one of the chore fields through in-depth studies of the optional courses as well as the master thesis.
2.2 Changes in the implementation
No major changes have been introduced in the implementation of the study programme – already from its first year of operation, RGSL has built its teaching philosophy upon a creative and interactive method, which is mostly based on case studies. A special moot courtroom is used for training in court and arbitration procedures and techniques. Students are also taking an active part in international moot court competitions such as the International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court and the European Law Moot Court Competition[2].
Students are expected to produce a large number of written and oral summaries and analyses, offer opinions and make presentations. Both written and oral performance is evaluated and influences the grades given. The introductory course in Legal Reasoning and Thinking serves as both introduction and guide to further studies, training the students to participate in interactive classes and promoting relevant techniques and approaches to learning and research.
Since the LL.M programme is a very intense, 50 – week programme there is no compulsory internship element included in the curriculum. RGSL does however assist students in finding internship positions during July/August while finalising their thesis. In cooperation with government bodies (ministries, police) and private organisations (law firms, banks) in the Baltic Countries and Scandinavia RGSL offers 15 – 20 students internships every summer.
3. Implementation of the study programme
3.1 Teaching methodology
The LL.M programme at RGSL is based on modern western ideas of teaching, with some strong elements from the “Socratic method” used in all American law schools. Emphasis is put on learning, not on teaching. Students are expected to arrive with basic knowledge of their own legal system, ready to deepen their understanding of larger systems of law and apply methods of legal analysis.
Students are also expected to spend at least 60% of their study time in preparation for classes and seminars, doing research in the library and working in small groups. Reading material, such as cases, articles and legal norms shall be read before any lecture or seminar. A compendium is available well in advance before each course.
Exams are open-book examinations, allowing students to bring all reading material, textbooks and notes. The purpose of the examinations is to investigate whether the students have understood the main problem areas and difficulties related to the particular subject, if they are able to use the sources that exist and to discuss possible solutions to given legal problems. Students are not expected to learn specific articles or case numbers by heart – instead they should give samples of their own, independent reasoning.
In addition to the written examinations students can gather credit points during the year of study by achievements in class – written and oral assignments, presentations, participation in moot court proceeding etc. In doing so a more just evaluation of the students’ knowledge and capabilities is made.
All Faculty, including visiting teachers and lecturers, is made aware of the teaching methodology and expected to produce their comprehensive study material (compendium) well in advance of each course. The division between lectures and seminars (with more active student participation) is between 30/70 and 40/60 depending on the course curriculum. Within the framework of the RGSL teaching methodology and curriculum, senior faculty enjoys academic freedom in developing their courses in detail.
3.2 Resource analysis
All teaching activities take place in the Peter Wallenberg building, which was erected for the needs of RGSL in 2000/2001[3]. Students have access to one large (100 seats) and one middle-sized (59 seats) modern auditorium and three group rooms, all equipped with blackboards, flipcharts, OH projectors and, when necessary, multimedia projectors (for powerpoint presentations). A computer laboratory with 9 desk-top computers is available seven days a week, along with 6 stationary computers in the law library. Most students are renting a lap-top computer to a nominal fee from the school, which can be attached to the RGSL network from several rooms in the P. Wallenberg building (a laptop room with 20 working places and library 12 connections). External access to the RGSL intranet portal is also made available, which renders all students (and faculty) to use the law library electronic resources also from home or elsewhere.
The law library[4] is currently holding 5400 textbooks, a collection of 130 legal journals (titles), 40 databases on CD-ROM and authorised access to 10 on-line Internet databases. The full stock is available through the electronic catalogue, http://www.rgsl.edu.lv. A library council[5] decides purchase policies and new general strategies. New acquisitions are made weekly, and lists of incoming books and journals are circulated to the faculty and students.
The law library operates on working days 8.00 – 20.00, and 12.00 – 20.00 on weekends. The library is open to the general public from 15.00 every day.
Textbooks for each course are purchased in as many copies as there are students and lent to the students during the year of study. Supplementing compendia are prepared and sold to the students to a nominal (copying) cost. Students are also expected to use the Internet and CD-ROM databases for independent search and usage.
No major technical investments are foreseen in the next two years since all equipment is fairly up-to-date and purchased within the last 2 years.
3.3 Student involvement in research
Already in the introductory phase of the LL.M programme there is a general introduction to legal research through small-group library activity. This is followed by further tutored development of legal research techniques in conjunction with the legal writing module and in liaison with substantive course lead professors. This means that students have a good base and experience through many exercises by the time they begin to prepare their thesis.
Considering the fact that the LL.M programme is a fairly short and very intense programme there is not much space to involve students in other research activities. Instead, good students with an interest in pursuing academic careers are invited to work as research assistants after graduation. In 2002 three previous students[6] are working together with the professors, conducting research and delivering seminars to next year’s students.
This system fits well with the “tandem teacher concept”, which has been one of RGSL’s trademarks from the very first year of activity. In order to secure transfer of knowledge and sustainability in the Baltic legislative systems, each foreign professor has one or more assistant teachers from Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania. The assistant teachers act as a link between professor and students, participating in the preparation of courses as well as in seminars and lectures. Some assistant teachers are lecturers from the Faculties of Law of the Universities of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, while others are law professionals from both the private and the public sphere from all three Baltic States, or graduates from RGSL.