A team of four students from the Graduate Institute won third place for the Respondent’s Memorial and Oral Pleadings segment of the Telders Moot Court Competition. The finals were held at the Peace Palace in The Hague, which also houses the International Court of Justice, from 23-25 May. The team from the Graduate Institute ranked 9th place in the overall competition.

The Telders Moot Court is the most prestigious of its kind in Europe for law students. Through the competition, students learn about the practicalities of courtroom law and gain experience grounded in the principles of the rule of law, civil society and fair play. This competition also provides participants with a valuable opportunity to improve legal writing and presentation skills and allows students to discover the ‘sancta sanctorum’ of international law.

The Graduate Institute team was composed of Merle Jaspers (MDEV), and three students from the Master in International Law Programme: Aref Shams, Carlos Antonio Cruz Carrillo and Daniel Ricardo Quiroga Villamarin. The students were selected in late September 2018 following an application and interview process. Students  who participate in the Telders Moot Court receive academic credit.