University of Hamburg - to research, to teach, to educate and form, to homepage
Institute of Law and Economics

Photo: UHH/Dingler

News

Current information can be found here.

2025

  • International Summer School on Institutions, Behavior and Law
    July-August 2025 – The Institute of Law and Economics successfully hosted its International Summer School from July 14 to August 8, 2025, with participation from several LERF members alongside other international students. The program included four intensive courses by renowned international scholars: "Introduction to Data Analysis and Empirical Methods" (Prof. Klaus Gründler, University of Kassel), "Consequences of Political Institutions" (Prof. Niclas Berggren, IFN/Prague), "Methods in Computational Science" focusing on NLP and experimental economics (Mahdi Khesali & Dr. Elisa Fraile Aranda), and "Economics of Environmental Law" (Prof. Chahir Zaki & Dr. Nada Maamoun). The strong LERF member participation in this summer school demonstrated the forum's commitment to providing advanced training in law and economics methodology and fostering international academic exchange.

  • LERF Member Publishes Working Paper on Egypt's Rent Control Reforms
    July 2025 – LERF member Emadaldin Abdelrahman (Ph.D. Candidate, European Doctorate in Law and Economics) has released a working paper analyzing Egypt's recently approved rent control reforms following the landmark Constitutional Court judgment (Case No. 24/20JY). Using law and economics tools including Kaldor-Hicks efficiency and transaction cost analysis, the paper examines what regulatory framework could most efficiently replace the pre-1996 rent regime during the transition period. The study proposes an incentive-based transitional framework prioritizing voluntary renegotiation and targeted subsidies for vulnerable tenants, arguing that the current reforms may lead to inefficient outcomes. The paper benefited from collaborative discussions within the LERF research network, exemplifying the forum's role in fostering academic exchange between Germany, Tunisia, and Egypt.

  • South-South Cooperation: Tunisian Professor Delivers Lectures in Egypt
    June 2025 – As part of strengthening cooperation within the joint master's program in Law and Economics in the Arab region, LERF facilitated the visit of Dr. Sana Mami, Associate Professor of Economics at the Mediterranean School of Business (MSB), South Mediterranean University, to deliver lectures on "International Economics and Related Laws." Dr. Mami's lecture series generated exceptional engagement and significant interest among the program's students. This South-South academic exchange exemplifies LERF's commitment to fostering direct collaboration between its Arab partner institutions beyond the traditional North-South cooperation model.

  • Workshop on Generative AI in Academia Held in Tunis
    May 2025 – LERF successfully hosted a two-day workshop on "Application of Generative AI in Academia" at the Mediterranean School of Business (MSB) in Tunis, bringing together participants from all partner universities. The workshop, facilitated by AI expert Dr. Sami Mahfoudhi, covered advanced topics including prompt engineering, AI in education, and practical applications for academic research. Participants engaged in hands-on activities for literature review preparation and plagiarism detection, addressing both the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI tools in academic work. This workshop demonstrated LERF's continued commitment to equipping researchers with cutting-edge technological skills for modern academic practice.

2024

  • Ta'ziz Summer School Opens Doors to Undergraduate Students
    August 2024 – The Ta'ziz Summer School in Hamburg marked a significant milestone by opening its program to undergraduate students for the first time, expanding beyond its previous graduate-only format. The summer school provided exceptional learning opportunities for students from partner universities in Tunisia and Egypt. The strong interest from undergraduate participants has been remarkable, with many expressing intentions to apply for graduate positions after completing their degrees. This expansion reflects LERF's commitment to nurturing academic talent at all levels.

  • Workshop on Comparative Constitution Making Held in Cairo
    March 2024 – LERF organized an in-person workshop on "Comparative Constitution Making" in Cairo, building on the hybrid course conducted in 2023. The workshop provided participants with an opportunity to engage deeply with constitutional law topics from a comparative perspective. This event strengthened the academic exchange between the German, Egyptian, and Tunisian partner institutions within the LERF network.

  • LERF Advances AI Integration in Legal Education
    2024 – Throughout coordination meetings in March and October, LERF partners discussed strategies for integrating Artificial Intelligence in both student learning and teaching methodologies. Building on an AI course offered in 2023 as part of Research Methods training, the consortium reached consensus on unified approaches to AI implementation. Further professional development courses on AI in legal education are planned for 2025, demonstrating LERF's commitment to modernizing legal education.
  • Joint Master's Program Initiative for Tunisian Students
    Early 2024 – LERF partners held a coordination meeting to discuss establishing a joint Master's program for Tunisian students in Sousse or Tunis. While the initiative faces bureaucratic challenges requiring government approvals, partners remain committed to pursuing this collaborative degree program. This joint program would represent a significant advancement in academic cooperation between the German and Tunisian partner institutions.
  • LERF Students Gain Practical Experience in Hamburg
    2024 – LERF facilitated valuable practical experiences for students through visits to Hamburg City Hall and meetings with practice partners including international law firm DLA Piper. The program also arranged internships at various locations, providing participants with insights into professional opportunities in law and economics. These activities exemplify LERF's commitment to bridging academic knowledge with practical experience, enhancing career prospects for program participants.

2023

  • "Aufruf zur Bewerbung"
    Aufenthalt für Forschungszwecke in Deutschland der Universität Sousse.
    24 Mai 2023
    Programme (PDF)
  • Cairo University Modernizes Four Course Modules
    2023 – Cairo University began modernizing its Law and Economics curriculum with the revision of four course modules as part of the LERF initiative. The modernization effort focused on course digitalization and updating content to reflect current legal and economic challenges. This curriculum reform represents a significant step in aligning Egyptian legal education with international standards and modern pedagogical approaches.

  • "Teach the Teachers" Workshops Modernize Teaching Methods
    2023 – LERF conducted "Teach the Teachers" workshops to train academic and non-academic staff in modernizing teaching and learning methods through e-learning integration and digitalization. The initiative included training on quality assurance measures, developing common standards for course evaluation, and establishing shared expectations for master's theses. Workshops also addressed contemporary challenges such as plagiarism prevention and working with AI-based text generation tools, ensuring that educators across all partner universities are equipped with modern pedagogical skills.

  • LERF Successfully Launches with 19 Researchers from Partner Universities
    June 2023 – Following DAAD funding approval in April 2023, LERF successfully completed its selection process, bringing together 19 researchers from all partner universities to form the LERF research teams. The project established bi-weekly coordination meetings for project leaders and bi-monthly hybrid team meetings for all LERF members, enabling cross-border scientific and intercultural exchange. Permanent LERF members gained the opportunity to conduct short-term research stays of up to three months at partner universities, strengthening international collaboration.

  • Innovative "Comparative Constitution Making" Course Launches Across Three Countries
    2023 – LERF developed and launched the innovative "Comparative Constitution Making" course, taught simultaneously in Hamburg, Cairo, and Sousse. The course was jointly delivered by faculty from the University of Hamburg, Cairo University, and the British University in Cairo, representing a groundbreaking approach to international legal education. This collaborative teaching model exemplifies LERF's commitment to modernizing legal education through cross-border academic cooperation.

  • LERF Establishes Hybrid Meeting Infrastructure for Continuous Collaboration
    2023 – LERF established a robust hybrid meeting infrastructure with bi-monthly team meetings every second Friday, ensuring continuous collaboration regardless of geographical or political barriers. This format has proven essential for maintaining strong academic exchange between German, Egyptian, and Tunisian partners. The hybrid approach enables all 19 team members to participate actively in joint research activities and curriculum development initiatives.