Events
Throughout the year, the Institute and its guests provided food for thought, combining public lectures open to all with exclusive sessions for GOMIL students.
The Future of International Criminal Law, with a Special Focus on the ICC
July 2026 · Conference hosted by the Göttingen Institute for Criminal Law and Criminal Justice
On 10 July 2026, the Institute of Criminal Law and Justice, in cooperation with the Institute of International and European Law, hosted the conference "The Future of International Criminal Law – With a Special Focus on the ICC", convened by Professor Raube and Professor Ambos.
The conference pursued a deliberately practice-oriented approach: rather than discussing the future of international criminal law from an academic distance, it brought together representatives of all pillars of international criminal justice — the bench, the Office of the Prosecutor, the defence, victims' representatives, the Registry (both of the ICC and of the Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic (SCC)), and the foreign-policy perspective of the German Federal Foreign Office. Among the speakers, who came from The Hague, Bangui, Glasgow and Berlin, was also ICC Judge Beti Hohler, who is herself subject to US sanctions.
All contributions followed a common analytical framework, examining first how practice has changed under the current pressures, and second what each area requires to secure judicial independence, institutional integrity and operational capacity. In a concluding panel some key questions, resulting from the different presentations, have been discussed and further elaborated. The challenge, participants emphasised, is a double one: to protect the ICC and the Rome Statute system as a whole in times of unprecedented external pressure, while at the same time thinking ahead — towards institutional independence, digital sovereignty, the responsible use of AI, and the shared responsibility to make the ICC's work better understood.
Speakers (L–R): Svenja Raube, Anni Pues, Kai Ambos, Beti Hohler, Ousman Njikam, Wiebke Rückert, Natalie von Wistinghausen
The War Against Ukraine from the Perspective of International Law
June 2026 · Conference hosted by the Göttingen Institute for International Law
The international law perspective took center stage at the recent conference organized by the Alumni of the Göttingen Institute of International Law. The full-day event brought together public international lawyers across generations to examine the ongoing war against Ukraine through various legal, historical, and practical lenses.
The conference featured high-level presentations from leading academic and judicial figures:
Prof. Dr. Mykola Gnatovskyy, Judge at the European Court of Human Rights, presented on Russia's War against Ukraine before the Strasbourg Court, offering key insights into the judicial processing and legal challenges of cases against Russia before the ECtHR.
Prof. Dr. Lauri Mälksoo from the University of Tartu and member of the Venice Commission contextualized the current conflict in his talk on the historical context in International Law.
Prof. Dr. Helmut Aust from Freie Universität Berlin and the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law presented a forward-looking perspective, exploring a free economic zone as an element of a potential peace agreement.
Beyond the lectures, the day was packed with active Q&A sessions and energetic discussions. The event offered a rich mix-and-mingle atmosphere, bringing together alumni who graduated over the last 30 years and regularly return to Göttingen to discuss pressing issues in international law. Current GOMIL students as well as doctoral candidates had the opportunity to chat directly with former graduates who now work in international law firms and international institutions, creating a dynamic exchange between established practitioners and the next generation of international lawyers.
Prof. Mykola Gnatovskyy, Judge at the European Court of Human Rights
Deep Dive into Oceans: Exclusive Seminar on the Law of the Sea for GOMIL Students
May 2026 · Nikiforos Panagis (Legal Officer, ITLOS) and Maurus Wollensak (University of Hamburg)
GOMIL students had the opportunity to participate in an exclusive two-day seminar on the law of the sea. Held at the University of Göttingen, this specialized workshop was offered outside the standard curriculum without academic credits, giving students additional insights and practical expertise in a key field of international law.
The seminar was led by two scholars in maritime law: Nikiforos Panagis, Legal Officer at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) and PhD Candidate at the University of Oxford, and Maurus Wollensak, PhD Candidate at the University of Hamburg. Combining practitioner insights from ITLOS with academic research, the instructors provided an engaging overview designed to go beyond standard textbook coverage.
The intensive sessions spanned foundational principles to complex contemporary challenges across six key thematic modules. The first day opened with a structural overview of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS framework), followed by an examination of substantive rights and obligations across different maritime zones. Students then analyzed international dispute mechanisms, judicial bodies, and key institutional actors governing maritime affairs. The second day focused on the legal frameworks protecting the marine environment, concluding with a discussion on how the law of the sea intersects with broader geopolitical, economic, and technological issues.
Designed exclusively for GOMIL students, the seminar served as an invaluable platform for interactive discussions and career-oriented exchanges with legal professionals working directly in international dispute resolution and maritime governance.
Business and Human Rights: Key Debates and Legal Frameworks
May 2026 · Dr. Caroline Lichuma, Center for Human Rights Erlangen-Nürnberg
GOMIL students gained additional insights into the evolving landscape of corporate accountability during an exclusive seminar on Business and Human Rights (BHR). Offered as an extra session outside the standard curriculum without academic credits, the workshop provided participants with a comprehensive overview of how international law addresses corporate responsibility and environmental protection.
The seminar was taught by Dr. Carol Lichuma, a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Human Rights Erlangen-Nürnberg (CHREN) at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Bringing her deep academic expertise and research insights to Göttingen, Dr. Lichuma guided students through both historical foundations and cutting-edge developments shaping the field today.
The session introduced participants to core concepts, legal instruments, and ongoing debates surrounding corporate responsibility. Key topics covered during the seminar included state obligations and business responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), as well as the progress toward a binding UN treaty on BHR. Students also examined soft-law frameworks such as the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct alongside hard-law developments in Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence (mHRDD) laws. Together, these instruments illustrate the global shift toward establishing legal liability and enforceable standards for corporate human rights and environmental violations.
Designed exclusively for GOMIL students, this extra-curricular session offered a valuable space to engage with complex questions of international law, corporate governance, and sustainable business practices.
Business and Human Rights Seminar with Dr. Caroline Lichuma, May 2026
Queer-Feminist Approaches to International Law
December 2025 · Laura Godau, University of Hamburg
GOMIL students had the opportunity to explore critical methodologies during an exclusive session on queer-feminist approaches to international human rights law. Designed as an additional, non-credit workshop to provide deeper practical insights, the seminar offered participants a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how critical legal theory is actually applied in academic research.
The session was led by Laura Godau, a Research Associate and PhD candidate at the Chair for International Law of the Sea, Environmental Law, Public International Law, and Public Law at the University of Hamburg (under Prof. Dr. Alexander Proelß). Bringing fresh academic perspectives to Göttingen, Godau bridged the gap between abstract methodology and concrete legal analysis.
Rather than presenting finished theory or a polished, published book, Godau shared her work in progress directly from her ongoing doctoral thesis regarding the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. This hands-on approach allowed GOMIL students to see how critical queer-feminist frameworks operate in practice when analyzing international legal structures. Instead of focusing solely on finalized outcomes, the discussion centered on the actual craft of legal research — asking fundamental questions about how research is structured, how critical tools are deployed, and how theoretical frameworks shape real-world legal inquiry.
Designed exclusively for GOMIL students, the interactive session sparked engaging debates and provided a valuable platform for students to discuss research methods directly with an active scholar in the field.
Current Developments at the International Criminal Court
June 2025 · Dr. Rod Rastan (Registry, ICC) and Dr. Alejandro Kiss (Appeals Division, ICC)
An exclusive session in June 2025 brought students from the GOMIL program face-to-face with senior practitioners from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Organized as an additional, non-credit workshop to provide students with insider perspectives, the meeting moved beyond textbook theory to explore how international justice operates on the ground.
The event featured two seasoned legal officers from key organs of the court: Dr. Rod Rastan, Chief of the Judicial Cooperation Support Section within the ICC Registry, and Dr. Alejandro Kiss, Legal Officer in the Appeals Division within the ICC Chambers.
Opening with a dedicated career focus, both guests shared reflections on their personal journeys to The Hague. Dr. Rastan and Dr. Kiss mapped out their academic paths, early professional choices, and the specific steps that helped them build long-term careers within major international institutions.
The second half of the session shifted to an interactive Q&A centered on emerging legal challenges at the ICC. Students led a discussion on recent developments at the tribunal, with a particular focus on how new technologies are reshaping evidence law. The conversation examined the collection, authentication, and admissibility of digital proof under the court's evidentiary framework.
Reserved exclusively for GOMIL master's students, the event delivered a rare combination of personal career guidance and front-row insights into how the ICC adapts to the realities of 21st-century investigations.
Legal Issues in a Russia-Ukraine Peace Agreement
April 2025 · Prof. Gregory H. Fox, Wayne State University, Detroit/Michigan
Following the invitation to Göttingen, Prof. Fox gave a talk on a possible peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. He offered the opportunity to examine one of the most critical legal challenges facing modern diplomacy during an exclusive session. Offered as an additional session outside the standard curriculum without academic credits, the talk provided participants with specialized insights into the complex intersections of treaty law and armed conflict.
Professor Fox is a widely published scholar in public international law whose expertise spans international organizations, governance, and treaty regimes. His recent work includes the co-authored article "Peace Agreements and the Persuasive Authority of International Law" (with Timothy Jones), published in the Minnesota Journal of International Law in March 2025.
The presentation centered on a key question surrounding potential peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia: the issue of treaty invalidity due to coercion under Article 52 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT). Professor Fox guided students through the high threshold set by international law regarding treaties procured by the threat or use of force in violation of the principles of the UN Charter. The session addressed how Article 52 operates in practice, the legal consequences for agreements negotiated under ongoing military aggression, and the broader ramifications for the durability and legitimacy of a future peace settlement.
Poster: Legal Issues in a Russia-Ukraine Peace Agreement, April 2025
