Wafa Trad
DOHA: In their drive to complement their collegial learning experience at Hamad Bin Khalifa University College of Law and Public Policy (CLPP) with a global outlook, Juris Doctor (JD) students have been encouraged to apply to international programs and engage in a range of prestigious summer learning opportunities each year.
One such student, Wafa Trad, Class of 2019, recently embarked on a three-week summer course in ‘Public International Law’ at The Hague Academy of International Law on her initiative, where she attended in a series of theoretical and practical course modules including visits to the permanent Court of Arbitration, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and a number of diplomatic embassies, said a statement.
The academy, housed within the Peace Palace – a primary administrative building of international law that dates back to 1913 is located in The Hague, the Netherlands – sports a demanding curriculum that is delivered by renowned international academia and industry experts. Its summer program covers an extensive range of governance topics including state responsibility, cybercrime, state immunity and the role of reparations in international law. It also addresses pertinent legal research areas such as environmental law and the debate on the return of cultural objects.
Notably, the program’s unique location at the ICJ – the arbitration center of international law – enabled Trad to gain valuable insights into the organization’s work. As the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN), the ICJ settles legal disputes between member states and gives advisory opinions to authorized UN organs and specialized agencies.
Elaborating on her visits to the ICJ, Trad said: “Luckily, I was able to visit the ICJ twice in different capacities. During my first visit, which took place as part of the academic program, I was simply enthralled by the magnificence of the historic building that has borne witness to the rule of international law for decades.”
“However, my second visit coincided with the Order Reading in the case of Qatar vs. UAE and this offered me a unique educational experience to witness the UN’s highest court hearing an international dispute. Observing the court in order, rather than reading about it in law books or journals, is an incomparable experience. I was able to fully grasp the court’s fundamental sense of reasoning and rationale.”
Speaking on how the experience benefitted her educational specialization in ‘Law and International Affairs’, Trad stated: “Gaining immediate exposure to in-depth academic discussions with judges, professors and lawyers, who represent the global elite of the legal profession, presented a unique chance to cultivate a more critical perspective that I plan to apply within my current and future studies of the law.”
