Announcements: BIICL Course on Public International Law; 21st C Borders Conference;

1. The British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL) will be running a short course from 29-30 April 2014 entitled, Public International Law in Practice. The dynamic, two-day programme will be focused on current developments in public international law and their application in national and international litigation, in governmental and international policy-making and in international legal and diplomatic practice. Participants will be provided with a concise introduction to key issues across a broad range of areas of public international law – from the nature of international law to international resolution of disputes, from human rights to international investment law.  Led by many of the Institute’s leading researchers and practitioners, the course is ideal for those in the early and middle years of legal practice, those working in governmental and non-governmental organisations with legal elements to their work, those in moving legal practice areas, and students who are studying for a postgraduate degree which includes aspects of international law. This course is unique in that it introduces participants to public international law as it arises in practice in a concise and engaging way. The course fee is £375 (incl VAT) and it is accredited with 14.5 CPD hours. Find out more and book online here.

2. Call for Papers: Conference on 21^st Century Borders: Territorial Conflict and Dispute Resolution, 13^th June 2014, University of Lancaster. 21^st Century borders are coming under increasing strain with shifting balances of international power. This was seen most dramatically in the recent Russian annexation of the Crimea and its connected repudiation of uti possidetis that underpinned statehood in the former Soviet Union. In East Asia tensions remain high in sovereignty disputes over islands and maritime delimitation. Renewed attempts to reach a settlement between Israel and Palestine similarly turn on the crucial issue of borders. In addition to these, a number of other states have been involved in long-running boundary conflicts. This conference, organised by the Centre for International Law and Human Rights at Lancaster University Law School will explore the causes and dynamics of contemporary territorial disputes as well as mechanisms to resolve them. We welcome abstracts for papers of no more than one page from both established researchers and early career academics. Please send your proposals to Dr. James Summers j.summers {at} lancaster.ac(.)uk. The deadline for abstracts is 20^th April 2014.