During the third year of the project (academic year 2022/2023) Jean Monnet Chair - EU@RGSL - “Excellence in EU Studies at Riga Graduate School of Law”, JM Chair holder Prof.Ilze Rūse has focused on teaching activities at RGSL, while further fulfilling the objectives of the project, namely
- To promote and deepen RGSL’s specialization in EU studies;
- To increase the visibility of RGSL as an outstanding university in offering EU Law and Politics in the Baltic region;
- To develop new innovative teaching methods at RGSL;
- To galvanise synergies between the academic and practical approaches in EU studies in preparing the course participants for better career opportunities;
- To transfer knowledge and support reforms in Latvia’s partner countries in the Eastern Neighbourhood, Central Asia, Western Balkans and others.
In October 2022 under the JM grant a course for students from ENP countries was held. 13 participants from Moldova and Georgia were instructed in the EU Integration, EU law and decision making. Among the teaching methods – case studies, group tasks as well as a negotiation of EU Council decision-making were included. Training of short duration Intensive programme was a great success with some of participants applying later for other courses offered by RGSL.
November 2022 to January 2023 JM chair was teaching Master Degree course of 32 hours EU Institutional Law and Decision Making. Prof.Ruse developed a module on EU Internal Market with respect to posting of workers. The students carried out EU Council negotiations on Posting of Workers Directive that included preparation of the member states positions, Commission proposal, EU Presidency compromise. Negotiation seminar was planned as a weekend exercise allowing enough time for participants to set into their respective roles.
In April 2023 Prof.Ilze Rūse was teaching Intensive Programme course for another group of 34 participants from Moldovo, Ukraine, Georgia, Serbia, Palestine, Jordan, North Maccedonia. The course was operated both in online mode and in-class. Given the online mode, this time JM Chair developed a module with course papers on EU Integration in each of the countries of participants origin. Different level of deepness of integration (association agreement, DCFTA, EEA, EFTA, candidate status) where discussed. JM Chair has also developed a set of quizes on literature regarding EU Integration.
To fulfill the objective of online lectures, the online modules where prepared and recorded.
In summer 2023 the annual RGSL Summer school was held. JM Chair Prof.Ruse took part in teaching a module on EU Politics. A high number of participants attended, representing public administration, courts, NGOs from Latvia. Theaching was held in Latvian. Summer school was an excellent input by JM grant to galvanise synergies between the academic and practical approaches in EU studies.
Furthermore, JM Chair delivered a guest lecture for the high school students during the RGSL Excellence school by raising the interest at schools in Latvia for subjects like diplomacy, EU public administration, external relations.
Project Jean Monnet Chair - EU@RGSL has reached all its objectives.
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