Université La Sagesse inaugurated the fifteenth edition of the Inter-University Program on International Criminal Law and Procedure (IUP), with the participation of 260 students from twelve higher education institutions in Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt. The program includes specialized lectures delivered online by experts in international criminal law, through cooperation between the T.M.C. Asser Instituut, the non-governmental organization IUSTICOM, and the Human Rights Legal Clinic at the Faculty of Law of La Sagesse University, with support from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

In his opening address, the Dean of the Faculty of Law at Université La Sagesse, Dr. Chadi Saad, stressed that the broad participation in the program reflects the importance of international criminal justice at a time when accountability is in decline. He reaffirmed Université La Sagesse’s ongoing commitment to promoting awareness of the rule of law and human rights, emphasizing the importance of education in this field as it contributes to the development of critical thinking and the protection of victims’ rights.

Christophe Paulussen, senior researcher at the T.M.C. Asser Instituut, has coordinated the programme from the onset on behalf of the Asser Institute. Paulussen: “The IUP was one of my first projects when I started at Asser and now, 15 years later, it’s still alive and kicking, and very close to my heart. To assist in making a meaningful impact in a region that has suffered, and is still suffering, so much, and to see the resilience of the students, is extremely rewarding. I am honoured to contribute and grateful to everyone who has made the IUP possible.”

Dr. Hans-Jörg Dietz, Director of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, pointed out that justice should not be confined to those who possess power and influence, stressing the need to develop accountability, especially at times when the law is constantly being put to the test. He expressed his appreciation for encouraging students to engage in a program that promotes the principle of international justice, and noted that the Foundation is exploring the possibility of organizing a study tour to The Hague for successful students.

Subsequently, Olga Kavran of IUSTICOM, one of the co-founders of the programme, says: “Seeing so many young people interested in this program truly gives me hope. This is particularly important because we live in a time of deep contradictions, when justice is widely invoked while the rule of law, as we have come to know it, is systematically destroyed. It is important because human progress is not linear; it advances, retreats, and advances again, and it is younger generations, just like in some previous times, who will hopefully restore real and meaningful justice and the rule of law.” She encouraged students to broaden their horizons, saying: “You are here to affirm that you can contribute and persevere to make change and make the world a better place for everyone.”

Overview of the program, its objectives, and participating students

The Director of the Legal Clinic at Université La Sagesse, Ms. Reina Sfeir, noted that the growing number of participating students confirms the importance and impact of the program, particularly as it bridges legal knowledge with lived reality. She explained that the program includes 17 sessions and a final examination, upon which students receive a certificate signed by the partner institutions.

Participants in this fifteenth edition of the Inter-University Program come from twelve universities in five Arab countries as follows:

• From Lebanon: the Lebanese University, Université La Sagesse, the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, and the Islamic University;
• From Palestine: Hebron University, Birzeit University, and An-Najah National University;
• From Jordan: Petra University;
• From Egypt: Ain Shams University and Alexandria University;
• From Iraq: the University of Basra and the University of Mosul.

The program was launched in 2011 by the Asser Instituut and the Outreach Unit of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), at a time when no specialization in international criminal law was offered at any Lebanese university, making the Inter-University Program (IUP) the first of its kind and a precedent in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Following the withdrawal of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in 2020, the program continued to be implemented by the Asser Instituut and the International and Transitional Justice Resource Center (ITJRC).

In 2022, La Sagesse University and IUSTICOM joined as partners in the consortium managing the program.

To date, more than 2,700 students across the Middle East and North Africa have graduated from the program, contributing to the preparation of a generation of regional experts specialized in international criminal law matters.