PSIA Students Argue European Neighborhood Policy during Moot Court

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YEREVAN – On May 13, 2015 second year students from the American University of Armenia (AUA)’s Political Science and International Affairs (PSIA) program participated in a European Union (EU) Moot Court. The simulation was organized by Dr. Syuzanna Vasilyan, Jean Monnet Chair of European Studies and Assistant Professor in AUA’s PSIA program, within the framework of the “European Integration” course in order for students to acquire skills in legal adjudication using the knowledge in the field of EU Studies/International Relations.

During this year’s Moot Court, the EU was put under trial on charges of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), which is highly topical. The second year students acted as prosecutors, defenders and judges, while the first year students performed the role of the jury. The verdict was delivered by the latter after deliberation with Dr. Vasilyan guiding them on the strengths and weaknesses of argumentation.

Dr. Vasilyan stated, “While in the United States and Western European countries such a simulation is held during BA studies, most of our MA students were hearing the phrase ‘Moot Court’ for the first time. For the second year students, the rebuttal stage served as an exercise to build up and structure their arguments given the limited time. For the first year students, it was a chance to weigh the quality of the argumentation and the quantity of the facts brought forth for delivering an objective judgement.”

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.