CIL-NUS Global Trade Law Academy 2025 (online)

5 - 30 May 2025 via Zoom

Programme Schedule | Click TIME CONVERTER to check the time in your region

It is in the arena of world trade that the most important conflicts and battles, or cooperation and progress, take place and in which both overall prosperity and even pacific relations of our interdependent global society will be determined. The GATT/WTO constitutes the essential framework, the ‘Higher Law’ or even the ‘Economic Constitution’ of our international legal order.

In this CIL-NUS Global Trade Law Academy (TLA), the fundamental building blocks of the international economic legal order will be highlighted, paying special attention to contemporary geopolitical pressures.

Spanning 32 classroom hours over 4 weeks (equivalent to a full module at leading law schools), this Academy, taught by internationally-recognized trade law scholars, is designed to achieve simultaneously 2 goals. 

General Course

The eight lessons give an overview of the system with a sharp outlining of its underlying legal principles. This is suitable for those wishing for an introduction to or refresher on the fundamentals of trade law. The General Course lecturer for the 2025 TLA is Dr Mislav Mataija (TBC). 

Topics:

1. International trading system and the WTO: history and institutional set-up
2. Market access: tariffs and quotas
3. Non-discrimination: Most Favoured Nation (MFN) and National Treatment
4. General and security exceptions
5. Beyond Non-discrimination: Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures
6. Contingent protection: dumping, subsidies and safeguards
7. Trade in services
8. Dispute settlement

Specialization Courses

The 4 specialist modules (2 lessons per week over 4 weeks) spotlight critical topics in Global Trade Law. This is suitable for those who already possess trade law knowledge and want an insight into contemporary issues. Registrants may sign up for as many specializations as they wish. The specialisations offered at the 2025 Global Trade Law Academy are:

1. Dispute Settlement (Dr Michelle Zang)
2. Trade and Sustainability (Dr Michelle Zang)
3. Regional Trade Agreements (Dr Johanna Jacobsson)
4. Digital Trade Law (Prof Thomas Streinz)

Who should apply?

Four types of audience are envisaged:

1. Those for whom international trade law is a principal professional occupation. We are confident that even this group will gain insight. There are always new ways to know that which we know.
2. Those whose professional legal activity is different but intersects with international trade law and may wish to have a better understanding of such intersection.
3. Those who may not even be lawyers, e.g. civil servants in trade policy areas, economic operators whose business activity are impacted by the international trading system and who, too, want to understand the fundamental legal principles of the system.
4. University students, doctoral candidates, and postdoctoral scholars are also very welcome. 

• Pre-registration is required. Registration will close on 28 April 2025.
• Please note that NO certificates of attendance will be provided for the 2025 TLA. 

Examination Award

Those wishing may register for an exam to be scheduled following the final lesson. If successfully passed, candidates will receive an Award certificate issued by CIL-NUS. Candidates may select one of two exam formats:

1. The Foundational Exam requires answering 1 General Course Question and 1 Specialization Question.
2. The Advanced Exam requires answering 2 Specialization Questions.

The Foundational and Advanced Exam Papers will be released the morning of Friday, 13 June 2025. Candidates will have 24 hours to submit their manuscripts.

Interested candidates may indicate their interest in the registration form and must register for the exam.

Certificates will be awarded to those who pass the Exam.

Fees

1. General Course only: SGD 50
2. One Specialization Course only: SGD 50
3. Registration fee for General Course AND One Specialization Course: SGD 100
4. Registration fee for Multiple Specialization Courses: SGD 100
5. Registration fee for General Course AND Multiple Specialization Courses: SGD 150
6. Examination fee: Additional SGD 50 

Complimentary access for registration and examination shall be given ONLY to government officials from:

• Singapore
• ASEAN Member States
• Timor Leste

Academy Faculty

1. Prof Joseph Weiler - New York University School of Law (Convenor)
2. Dr Mislav Mataija (TBC) – Legal Service of the European Commission (General Course)
3. Dr Michelle Zang - Victoria University of Wellington (Specialization)
4. Prof Thomas Streinz – European Union Institute, Florence (Specialization)
5. Dr Johanna Jacobsson - IE Law School, Madrid (Specialization)

Schedule

Please take note that the course timings vary from week to week, based on lecturer’s time zone and availability. Click TIME CONVERTER to check the time in your region.