International law in contested territories – ERUA Winter School in Cyprus

Challenges of modern international relations

The initiative brought together the law and psychology students, researchers, and practitioners who discussed some of the most complex issues in modern international relations — sovereignty, human rights, state responsibility, and peacekeeping. The organizers employed a combination of theory, simulation, and first-hand field experience to make the learning experience interesting and effective.

Blended and Experiential Learning Format

The Winter School was structured as an interdisciplinary elective course, taught fully in English, open to students from all ERUA partner institutions. It consisted of two interconnected parts:

1. Preparatory online module (October 2025) – four interactive evening lectures provided a shared foundation in international law, covering topics such as:
   • Contested territories and self-determination (lecturer Dr. Tomasz Lewandowski, SWPS University)
   • Human-rights jurisprudence in conflict zones (lecturer Ines Frikech Laraki, European University of Viadrina)
   • Occupational law and state responsibility (lecturer Professor Justinas Žilinskas, Mikolas Romeris University)
   • The principle of non-discrimination in divided societies (lecturer Professor Rachele Marconi, University of Macerata).
2. On-site workshop in Cyprus (November 2025) – a week-long field program that combined academic sessions, institutional visits, and immersive study in the unique environment of the divided island of Cyprus, such as:
   • Opening workshop in Paphos, revisiting key legal concepts and introducing collaborative assignments (Conflict Map and Policy Memo)
   • Human Rights and Effective Control workshop, featuring a mini-moot court simulation inspired by European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) case law
   • Guided exploration of Nicosia, the last divided capital in Europe, that included visits to both sides of the Green Line and a briefing at UNFICYP Headquarters and the Old Nicosia Airport
   • Guest lectures at Neapolis University Pafos – Human Rights Observatory, including a discussion on “Human Rights in Contemporary Conflict Settings and the EU Artificial Intelligence Act”
   • Field study in Famagusta and Varosha that focused on cultural heritage, property restitution, and post-conflict governance
   • Final moot-court simulation before a mock ECtHR panel, where students presented oral arguments in a fictional case concerning displacement and property rights.

Throughout the week, participants combined theoretical reflection with empirical observation, merging the knowledge they had learned online with real-world contexts of law and governance.

Learning Across Borders and Disciplines

The Winter School offered far more than a traditional academic course — it was a transformative intercultural learning experience.

Students worked in international teams, developed legal analyses, collaborative portfolios, and short policy recommendations. They reflected on the ethical, legal, and psychological aspects of living and governing in contested territories and learned how international law interacts with social realities. The key outcomes included:

• Stronger understanding of international law as a living system that operates across political and cultural divides
• Ability to analyze and interpret jurisprudence from the European Court of Human Rights
• Improved oral advocacy, teamwork, and intercultural communication skills
• Deeper awareness of the human dimension of law and justice.

A Model of Collaboration within the ERUA Alliance

This initiative exemplifies the values and goals of the European Reform University Alliance — an alliance committed to reimagining higher education in Europe through openness, experimentation, and collaboration.

The Winter School demonstrated how universities can co-create innovative learning formats that transcend national and disciplinary boundaries.

It strengthened partnerships between the participating institutions, expanded the academic network of the alliance, and served as a living laboratory for the ERUA vision of a shared, student-centered European higher education area.

Through experiential, research-based, and interdisciplinary teaching, the project advanced ERUA’s mission to:

• Promote transformative education that connects theory with practice
• Encourage short-term mobility and inclusion, enabling students from diverse backgrounds to engage in meaningful international experiences
• Contribute to socially relevant scholarship, where law and social sciences help address real-world challenges.

The Winter School was an exceptional opportunity to learn how international law functions beyond the classroom — in real spaces of division and reconciliation.

Looking ahead

The Winter School on “Contested Territories and Legal Remedies in Public International Law” will continue to serve as a model for future ERUA joint short programs. It has demonstrated how European universities can develop a meaningful academic cooperation and create impactful learning opportunities for their students.

The participating institutions are already planning some follow-up initiatives that will integrate disciplines such as law, psychology, and international studies — further advancing ERUA’s shared mission to shape an innovative, inclusive, and interconnected European education landscape.