max. 15 participants in class

Participants will receive 5 ECTS credit points after successful completion of the online course. Additionally, six weeks after the end of the online course a Transcript of Records will be issued by Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

Online Course Fee

This course examines the protection regime pertaining to refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and stateless persons. It gives special attention to the evolving set of legal norms, institutions, and procedures that have emerged from the international community’s resolve to protect refugees and other forced migrants.

The course adopts two complementary methodologies: seminars and case studies combined with presentations by the students. The seminars begin with an introduction to the international human rights and the asylum regimes, and with a review of the relevant concepts and definitions. It then continues with a historical perspective of the pre-United Nations initiatives to protect refugees and introduces the normative ethics and politics of refugee protection. That is followed by an analysis of both the legal and institutional pillars of the refugee regime, i.e. of the refugee definitions captured in various international instruments and of the protection granted by the UNHCR, respectively. The last subjects to be covered by the seminars are the normative and institutional arrangements put in place for the protection of IDPs and stateless persons.

The seminars are complemented by a ‘hands-on’ methodology, namely a major case study and presentations by the students both on the state of refugee protection in their countries of origin/residence and on current significant situations (i.a. Myanmar, Syria, Venezuela, European asylum crisis, Mediterranean situation).

The course content is equivalent to an on-site course offering 45 contact hours.

The study time includes:

• virtual class room lessons with the lecturer and the fellow students (50%)
• group exercises (25%)
• assignments and self-study (25%)

Track C

Weekly schedule of virtual class room sessions:

• Course days: Monday, Wednesday and Friday
• Time: 4.15 pm - 6.30 pm (Berlin time, UTC+2)
  10.15 pm – 0.30 am (Beijing time, UTC+8)
  0.15 am – 2.30 am (Sydney time, UTC+10)
  9.15 am – 11.30 am (Chicago time, UTC-5)

Advanced undergraduate law students and students with an academic background that qualifies them to participate in the course.

This course is taught in English, including readings in English. For the understanding of the texts and the discussions in class a language level B2 (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is required.

Participating students need to be at least 18 years old.