MDX law students enjoy fascinating tour of Europe’s institutions in Strasbourg

Students from the Dubai and London campuses visited the European Parliament and met high profile judges during the trip

Law students from Middlesex University enjoyed a fascinating tour of European institutions in Strasbourg.

Students from MDX’s Dubai and London campuses visited the Council of Europe institutions and the European Parliament, which is part of the European Union, based in the French city.

The study trip, the sixth since 2016, is a unique experiential learning opportunity, providing students with insights into the workings of the Council of Europe, whilst meeting professionals who are at the forefront of the promotion of democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Europe.

The group of students, from undergraduate and postgraduate law and politics courses, met three elected judges from the European Court of Human Rights, namely Darian Pavli from Albania, Katerina Šimáčková from the Czech Republic and Latif Huseynov from Azerbaijan. These judges provided an insight into their work and talked about the key issues which the Court is addressing. In addition, the students met Christian Mommers, Advisor to the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, and George Stafford, Secretary of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly. 

This trip also included a lunch to the residence of Sandy Moss, the UK Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, where students had the opportunity to hear about the UK’s efforts to uphold human rights standards. During the meeting, student posed questions about recent developments in member states and discussed pressing global issues, such as climate change.

Finally, students took a tour of the European Parliament, the only directly-elected EU body and one of the largest democratic assemblies in the world.

Tofig Shahniyarov, a second year Law PhD student, said: “The trip's highlight was definitely the discussions we had with the European Court of Human Rights judges. Listening to their diverse experiences, shaped by their unique backgrounds and values, was incredibly enlightening. It was fascinating to hear how their journeys and perspectives influence their interpretations and decisions on human rights issues. Additionally, the judges provided us with profound insights into the complexities of adjudicating human rights cases and the impact of their rulings on European and global scales. In my opinion, this interaction enriched our understanding and inspired many of us to explore careers in human rights law and international organisations.”

Dr Alice Donald, Professor of Human Rights Law, said: “This was the sixth trip by Middlesex University students to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg since 2016. In total, around 150 students from our London and Dubai campuses, from undergraduate to PhD level, have benefitted from bringing their academic study of the European Court on Human Rights to life through face-to-face meetings with judges, officials and diplomats. On this occasion, students had the opportunity to debate with Judges contemporary issues ranging from the war in Ukraine, to the implications of artificial intelligence for human rights, to the pending case concerning the eligibility of the athlete, Caster Semenya, who was born with a difference in sexual development called intersex, to compete against female athletes.”

Prof Donald accompanied students on the trip along with Dr Alessandra De Tommaso and Los Watkins from the MDX Hendon campus and Dr Daphne Demetriou and Samantha Roberts from MDX Dubai.