From a project to a Sustainable Law School - the China-EU School of Law celebrates 16 Years and Handover to the partners of the project

5 November 2024, by Internetredaktion

The China-EU School of Law (CESL) celebrates its 16th anniversary and handover to the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), marking the transition from an originally planned 5-year EU-China project to a permanent institution. Founded in 2008, as a project co-funded by the European Union and the P.R. of China, CESL has become a success story, thriving beyond its initial expectations due to the dedication of its partners, faculty, staff and political support.

The anniversary celebration was held on November 1, 2024, at the CUPL’s Haidian Campus in Beijing, attended by key representatives from the EU Delegation to China, CUPL leaders and faculty as well as administrative staff, the European Co-Dean and former Executive European Co-Dean as well as CESL alumni from all intakes. The EU funding ended in December 2022, since then, CESL continues to operate as a school of CUPL in partnership with a consortium of European universities coordinated by the University of Hamburg.

In his address, Ambassador Jorge Toledo, Head of the EU Delegation to China, congratulated CESL to its achievements over the past 16 years, emphasizing that much have changed in the development of China since the start of the project. Under the umbrella of CESL a window for China-EU exchange was made possible.  He compared the EU’s investment to nurturing a plant that now bears fruit.

The main objectives of CESL were to support the Chinese government to develop a society based on the rule of law and to increase mutual understanding between Chinese and European legal scholars.  It began with a consortium of 16 universities and institutions, led by University of Hamburg in the European side and CUPL on the Chinese side.

The general overall result of the project is successful. Altogether, 1400 Chinese students have graduated from the Double Master Program consisting of the Chinese Master Program and the Master of European and International Law.  Over 130 international students have studied the one-semester program “Chinese Law Taught in English”. CESL has held 60 conferences and workshops and supported 37 Sino-European research projects.  As a result of the research activities, 30 issues of the China-EU Journal and 30 books have been published. Almost 10,000 prosecutors, judges, lawyers and civil servants have participated in training courses organized by CESL. Throughout the years, CESL has become an internationally recognized hub functioning as a platform for China-EU legal exchange.