Planning and Doing Legal Research
the workshop was designed to introduce relevant research methodologies as well as to enhance and upgrade skills and expertise of teaching staff and researchers at Palestinian law schools in developing research project proposals.
In addition to professors of law and legal researchers at BZU IoL and Faculty of Law, law school deans at the Al Quds University, An Najah National University and Palestine Ahliya University College took an active part in the workshop.
The symposium included several training sessions with two types of activities. Distinguished speakers delivered lectures on major research themes, including attributes of good research, types of legal research, etc. Divided into focus groups, participants had the opportunity to discuss themes presented in lectures and exchange expertise on existing and alternative research methodologies. The workshop was moderated by Dr. Johan Lindholm, Professor of Law at UMEA University, Sweden, former professor of law at the University of Mississippi and visiting scholar at the University of Virginia, USA, as well as by Dr. Mattias Derlén, Professor of Law and Head of UMEA Center of European Law and International Trade Law and visiting professor at Oxford University, UK.
In the opening ceremony, Mr. Jamil Salem, IoL Director, stressed the need to develop legal research across Palestine in general, and at the IoL in particular. “Legal research contributes effectively to promoting justice sector, institutions, instruments and tools, ultimately enhancing justice administration, rule of law and respect of human rights.” Mr. Salem asserted. Dr. Mustafa Mar’i, Coordinator of the Initiative on Skills Development of Human Rights Professors in the Arab World, introduced lecturers and objectives and programme of the workshop. He also made a briefing note about the Human Rights Arab Academic Human Rights Network (AAHRN), under the auspices of which the workshop was held.
The workshop is part of activities implemented by Initiative on Skills Development of Human Rights Professors in the Arab World, implemented by the IoL in partnership with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in Lund, Sweden. Delivered under the AAHRN umbrella, the Initiative is funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA).
The AAHRN was launched in April 2010 when a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between a group of law schools and legal research centres in several Arab countries. The stated mission of the AAHRN is to strengthen the capacity of academic institutions in formulating and disseminating knowledge on human rights topics responding to the reality and needs of the society. Crowning fruitful cooperation with the Network’s member universities, the IoL formally joined the AAHRN in December 2011.
