refugee law Short Courses

EGYPT

Center for Migration and Refugee Studies, American University in Cairo

Winter Short Courses January 2010
The Center for Migration and Refugee Studies CMRS at the American University in Cairo AUC is offering the following two winter short courses on refugee law: 

1.    Introduction to Refugee Law (January 10-14, 2010): Course Description: The course will provide post-graduate students, international agency staff, NGO workers, lawyers and others working with refugees or interested in refugee issues with an introduction to the international legal framework which governs the protection of refugees.  Through lectures, case studies and  small group sessions, course participants will learn about the basic features of international refugee law including the components of the international refugee protection regime; the elements of the definition(s) of \"refugee\" contained in international instruments; the ethical and professional obligations of those representing refugees; the basic elements of the process by which refugee status is determined; and, the rights of refugees under international law.  A background in law is useful but not required.  The course will include a simulated refugee hearing in which course participants will be assigned roles to carry out in mock refugee status determination proceedings. 

2.    Advanced Refugee Law (January 17- 21, 2010): Course Description: The course will provide post-graduate students, international agency staff, NGO workers, lawyers and others working with refugees with further training on new developments and current debates regarding the international legal framework which governs the protection of refugees. Through lectures, case studies and  small group sessions, course participants will discuss and debate the sources and governance of international refugee law; the minimum requirements  of and best practices in refugee status determination; the nature of the \"nexus\" requirement; the nature of \"persecution\" (including the circumstances under which socio-economic disadvantage may qualify as persecution); how to distinguish between \"persecution\" and \"prosecution\"; the definition of refugee contained in the Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa; the ethical and professional dilemmas encountered in legal representation of and advocacy on behalf of refugees; and, the obligations to refugees arising from other areas of international law.  The course will be taught using examples from past and current refugee policy and jurisprudence from different jurisdictions.  Successful completion of an introductory course in refugee law or equivalent experience with refugee law is required.  The course will include a multi-party negotiation exercise based upon a simulated refugee crisis in which course participants will be assigned the roles of affected states, UNHCR and civil society and be required to negotiate a solution. 

Information about the Instructor:
Martin Jones is a lecturer in international human rights law at the Centre for Applied Human Rights at the University of York. He previously taught and served as a visiting researcher at Osgoode Hall Law School (Canada), Queen's University (Canada), the Centre for Refugee Studies (Canada), the University of East London (UK), Georgetown University (USA), the University of Michigan (USA), the American University in Cairo (Egypt) and, most recently, the University of Melbourne (Australia). Martin is a member of the executive committee of the International Association for the Study of Forced Migration and past chair of its 11th biennial conference in Cairo. He is managing editor of the journal Refuge. 

Martin is a founding and active member of the Southern Refugee Legal Aid Network, its voluntary director of research and training and a consultant to refugee legal aid organizations in Cyprus, Egypt, Hong Kong, Jordan, Malaysia and Turkey.  Before his returning to academia in 2002, he practiced as a refugee lawyer in Canada where in 2008, he co-founded the Egyptian Foundation for Refugee Rights which provides legal aid to refugees and migrants in Egypt. He serves as the chair of the Legal Aid Working Group of the Asia Pacific Network for Refugee Rights, a regional coalition of over 100 NGOs, and sits on its steering committee. 

He has co-authored a textbook on refugee law in Canada and has published on various topics, including the interpretation of the definition of refugee, refugee status determination and the prohibition on refoulement to torture. His research interests include the reform of the governance of the international refugee protection regime, the interaction between international and national refugee law, and refugee law in Asia. He is currently working on a project funded by the US Institute for Peace to develop in partnership with local legal aid NGOs networks of pro bono lawyers to assist refugees in securing protection in eight jurisdictions in Asia. 

Application procedure:
To apply for one or both courses, please fill in the application form 
http://www.aucegypt.edu/ResearchatAUC/rc/cmrs/outreach/Pages/ShortCourses.aspx
and send an updated copy of your CV to Sara Sadek: ssadek[at]aucegypt.edu
The deadline for receiving course applications is October 8th, 2009. 

Applicants accepted for the course will be notified by e-mail. 
Venue of the courses The courses will take place in the Falaki Building, at the downtown campus of the American University in Cairo 

Course fees:
The tuition fee for each course is $ 500 for non-Egyptians and an equivalent to $ 150 for Egyptians. CMRS provides 5 competitive scholarships restricted to registered refugees in Cairo 

Participants are expected to pay a 30% of the total fees as a deposit before November 15th, 2009. More information on payment method will be provided to accepted participants. 
Tuition fees will cover course material and 2 coffee breaks per course day. 

Accommodation and any other expenses are not included. Please check the link for some nearby recommended accommodation venues in Cairo. 
http://www.aucegypt.edu/ResearchatAUC/rc/cmrs/Documents/Recommendations%20for%20nearby%20hotels.pdf