International and interdisciplinary cooperation
International Cooperation is an integral part of School of Law’s teaching and research activities.
We have academic collaboration contacts with many research centres and law faculties in other countries and are involved in various research- and study-related networks and organizations, mobility agreements and international projects. This makes study abroad possible for our students and creates international research and teaching opportunities for our academic staff. Members of our teaching staff regularly teach courses and hold lectures as well as conduct research at universities in other countries.
In 2015, we launched our first international master’s programme in IT Law. One year later, another international master’s programme in International Law and Human Rights was opened in Tallinn. With the introduction of these two MA programmes, we have expanded our international scope in terms of international staff and students, new research projects, international conferences etc.
Teaching collaboration
School of Law has 2 English language MA programmes: IT Law and International Law and Human Rights. Both programmes are carried out in collaboration with academics and practitioners from other countries and host both Estonian and foreign degree students.
We regularly invite foreign scholars to teach courses and/or hold ad hoc lectures at the School of Law. We also host visiting professors and guest doctoral students. In addition, all doctoral theses defended at School of Law are assessed by at least one opponent/reviewer from a foreign university or a research institution.
In turn, our academic staff is similarly involved in teaching and research activities in other countries. For example, there is an established cooperation between the Universities of Tartu and Konstanz in organizing joint seminars on EU private law. We also have an ongoing teaching collaboration with Yerevan State University (Armenia) and Taras Shevchenko National University (Ukraine) for the master programme Human Rights and Democratization in the Caucasus.
Professor Marju Luts-Sootak has been a visiting professor at the Universities of Konstanz, Cologne, Frankfurt/Main and Zurich, Professor Lauri Mälksoo has taught human rights law at universities in Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Moldova and Kyrgyzstan; Professor Irene Kull regularly teaches courses at the Salzburg University Summer School of European Private Law; Associate Professor René Värk has taught in the Armenian Diplomatic Academy, Baltic Defence College, Belarus State University, Kyiv State University (Ukraine), Leuven Catholic University (Belgium), Moldova State University, Theresian Military Academy (Austria), and Yerevan State University (Armenia), Senior Research Fellow in Public International Law Merilin Kiviorg has taught public international law at the University of Oxford and comparative human rights at universities in Ukraine, Kyrgystan, Russia and Italy etc.
Joint degree programmes
School of Law is one of 41 European universities and the only Estonian university to participate in the European Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation (EMA) – the oldest interdisciplinary master’s programme supported by the European Union. 1st semester is taught at the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (EIUC) in Venice and for the 2nd semester students relocate to one of the 41 participating universities to follow courses in an area of specialisation of their own choice.
We also participate in the European Joint Doctorate in Law and Development (EDOLAD) together with partners from Edinburgh, Oslo, Deusto, Tilburg and North-West University. Law & Development is a multi-disciplinary 3-year doctoral programme exploring the impact of and use of law in the development context.
European Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation
European Joint Doctorate in Law and Development
Erasmus Mundus Master
Multidisciplinary Erasmus Mundus Master in International Law of Global Security, Peace and Development (ILGSPD). The University of Tartu developed this Master's programme together with the University of Glasgow, eight European partner institutions and a global network of 27 Associate Partners.
Please visit the University of Glasgow's website for more information about the Erasmus Mundus Master in International Law of Global Security, Peace and Development. Find out more about the courses, application procedures, partner universities and career prospects!
Are you interested in this programme or do you have any questions? Don't hesitate to contact Professor Lauri Mälksoo, University of Tartu: lauri.malksoo@ut.ee
This Erasmus Mundus Master in International Law of Global Security, Peace and Development is taught over 24 months and includes at least three mobility periods:
Semester 1: University of Glasgow
Semester 2: Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals
Semester 3: University of Tartu (or one of the other partner universities)
Semester 4: dissertation (in Glasgow, Barcelona, Tartu or another partner university)
The third semester at the University of Tartu
The University of Tartu programme is offered in our law school’s Tallinn premises, in cooperation with our MA Programme in International Law and Human Rights. The specific focuses of our programme are related to comparative international law (such as the understanding of international law and human rights in Russia), human rights law, law of the United Nations and the history and theory of international law.
Core modules at the University of Tartu:
- History and theory of international law
- Human rights law
- Law of international institutions
- Law and practice of the United Nations
Elective modules:
- Cyberspace, technology and international law
- Human rights law practice
- International criminal law
- Russian approaches to international law and human rights
This is a Master’s programme of a new era, with the movement of students between different European countries and regions as well as interdisciplinary approach of learning about international law in its contexts. At the University of Tartu, with our focus on comparative international law and for example including case studies of Russia, we’ll add diversity and nuance to the understanding of International law and human rights.
Mobility networks
School of Law participates in several Mobility Programmes which allows our students and teaching staff to gain valuable experiences at universities across the globe:
- Erasmus+ programme – School of Law has 69 partner universities in 23 European countries;
- Nordplus Law Network – School of Law is a member of the Nordplus Law Network together with 22 Nordic and Baltic law schools;
- Swiss-European Mobility Programme – School of Law has a bilateral agreement for student exchange with the University of Zurich;
- Partner Universities – University of Tartu has bilateral partnership agreements for the exchange of students and staff with 73 partner universities from 26 countries all over the world.
Law Networks and Organizations
The aim of cooperation networks is to represent the shared interests of the members and to serve as forums for exchanging ideas on matters related to education and research.
- Academy of European Private Law (Irene Kull)
- American Society of International Law (Lauri Mälksoo, René Värk)
- Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (Lauri Mälksoo)
- Association Internationale de Droit Penal (Jaan Sootak)
- Association of Young Legal Historians (Merike Ristikivi)
- EU Crime Prevention Network (Anna Markina)
- European Association for Education Law and Policy (Merilin Kiviorg)
- European Centre for Comparative Commercial and Company Law (Andres Vutt)
- European Consortium for Church and State Research (Merilin Kiviorg)
- European Criminal Law Academic Network ECLAN (Anneli Soo)
- European Law Institute (Irene Kull)
- European Society for Comparative Legal History (Merike Ristikivi)
- European Society of International Law (René Värk, Katre Luhamaa, Lauri Mälksoo)
- Fair Trials International, Legal Experts Advisory Panel (Anneli Soo)
- German Society of International Law (Lauri Mälksoo)
- German-Estonian Lawyers Association (Villu Kõve, Marju Luts-Sootak)
- Institut de Droit International (Lauri Mälksoo)
- International Academy of Comparative Law (Irene Kull)
- International Association for Comparative Law (Gesellschaft für Rechtsvergleichung) (Marju-Luts Sootak, Jaan Sootak)
- International Consortium for Law and Religion Studies (ICLARS) (Merilin Kiviorg)
- International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) (Karin Sein)
- NordPlus Network in Law (Merle Erikson)
- Procurement Law Academic Network (Mariann Simovart)
- Russian Association of International Law (Lauri Mälksoo)
- Society of European Contract Law (Irene Kull)
The IT Law Lab (in Estonian: uuenduslike õiguslahenduste labor) is a joint initiative of the University of Tartu, the Estonian Bar Association (represented by the Intellectual Property and IT Law Commission), the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Prosecutor General.
Within the cooperation the partners combine a set of challenges that reflect the current topical issues in the field of IT Law. These challenges are solved by the students of IT Law Master’s Programme of University of Tartu. The students are expected to complete an innovative study, applying the combined knowledge and skills in computer science, law and other fields available in their group that is working on the challenge. The participants reflect independent and creative thinking, occasionally reaching “out of the box” way of thinking.
The tasks of the IT Law Lab are currently completed as part of the Master’s Exam in IT Law Curriculum at the University of Tartu, School of Law.
Below you can find the best solutions to some of the challenges.
The works written in Estonian include a summary in English.
Should you have any questions or come up with a challenge yourself, feel free to contact us at it.law@ut.ee.
Webinar about IT Law Lab
Take a look at the Centre for the Information Society's (in Estonian: infoühiskonna keskus) webinar recorded in April 2017. The webinar presents the experiences by the parties of the joint initiative. Students Irmen and Urmas talk about their research topics, Ms Laura Kask (Advisor, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications) and Mr Tambet Toomela (Attorney-at-Law, Eversheds Sutherland; Visiting Lecturer, IT Law Programme) share their thoughts about the cooperation and solutions throughout the years.
Teams and research topics during academic year 2020/2021
Team: Vakhtang Chkhenkeli, Nino Bagashvili, Niharika Singhal
Topic: Human Communication with AI (download here)
Team: Elen Ruus, Jelizaveta Henno, Andrei Veressov
Topic: Data Collection for Service Design (download here)
Team: Hanna-Liis Raudsepp, Merilyn Kull
Topic: Decryption and Biometric Locks vs the Privilege Against Self-Incrimination (download here)
Team: Mariel Aimel Duran Torres, Lesia Matrosova, Trisha Lucky-Kristina Banya
Topic: Antitrust Risks and Big Data (download here)
Team: Vladyslav Demianets, Elvin Isayev, Maryna Voitkova
Topic: Human Communication with AI (download here)
Team: Sandra Nicole Gavilanes Luzuriaga, Camila Francisca Araya Valdivia
Topic: Child's Consent in Relation to Information Society Services (GDPR Article 8) (download here)
Teams and research topics during academic year 2019/2020
Team: Joonas Põder, Rando Mändar, Mehis Lõhmus
Topic: Data Protection Laws and Public Use of Collected Traffic Video Data (download here)
Team: Merili Oja, Krete Paal
Topic: IoT Compliance with GDPR and ePrivacy Regulation Requirements (download here)
Team: Aleksander Tsuiman, Mari Anne Rosalie Valberg, Elina Varendi
Topic: Data Protection, Data Processing Based on Legitimate Interests (download here)
Team: Airi Ilves, Laura Saks, Urmas Tross
Topic: Data Protection, Data Processing Based on Legitimate Interests (download here)
Team: Anastasiia Litvinenko, Bárbara Gonçalves Dos Reis
Topic: Artificial Intelligence and Consumer Rights (download here)
Team: Merilin Teppo, Kadri Katariina Johanson, Aethra Maria Raabe
Topic: Methods of Regulating Access to the Telecommunications Market for Reasons of National Security (download here)
Team: Marko Jaeger, Arina Stivrina, Līva Rudzīte
Topic: Technical and Legal Possibilities to Use Artificial Intelligence to Provide Translation in Criminal Proceedings (download here)
Teams and research topics during academic year 2018/2019
Team: Kätlin Šahmatova, Margus Moor, Gerli Hummel
Topic: Artificial Intelligence Legal Regulation in Estonia (download here)
Team: Emine Sali, Neeme Laane, Marija Makariūnaitė
Topic: Artificial Intelligence and Liability (download here)
Team: Katarina Kiiver, Fred Peetersoo
Topic: General Data Protection Regulation Fines and Penalties (download here)
Team: Gerli Kuldre, Stella Raudsepp
Topic: Big Data and Behavioural Targeting in the Context of the General Data Protection Regulation (download here)
Teams and research topics during academic year 2017/2018
Team: Helen Aaremäe, Sirli Pettai, Arvo Kivar
Topic: Legal Status and Liability of the Software Escrow Agent (download here)
Team: Olga Fesenko, Dušan Kovačević
Topic: Intellectual Property Rights in Artificial Intelligence (download here)
Team: Andres Kivi
Topic: Compliance of the „once-only“ principle and General Data Protection Regulation in Estonia
(download here)
Team: Mirko Vavrenjuk, Henri Ratnik
Topic: Legal Effect and Enforceability of a Smart Contract Under Estonian Law (download here)
Team: Tommi Sepponen, Florian Büth, Lauri Talumäe
Topic: The Necessity for and Feasibility of the Personhood of Autonomous AI (download here)
Teams and research topics during academic year 2016/2017
Team: Irmen Noormaa, Raminta Šulskutė, Julija Terjuhana
Topic: Data Portability (download here)
Team: Adesola Olasoji, Aldo Vassar, Karl Urmas Sule
Topic: Alternative Dispute Resolution System in an Information Society (download here)
Team: Liina Karlson, Urmas Tross, Kätlin Taimsaar
Topic: Digital Proceedings for the Liquidation of Companies (download here)
Team: Kristiina Laanest, Janne Kuklase
Topic: Export of IT Systems Developed for the State (download here)
Team: Kairi Tuulmägi, Kätlin Aren, Astrid Asi
Topic: Export of IT Systems Developed for the State (download here)
Teams and research topics during academic year 2015/2016
Team: Kristi Kelgo, Kätlin Taimsaar
Topic: Holding State Databases Abroad (download here; the work is conducted in Estonian)
Team: Silja Kichno, Kristel Tael, Pille-Riin Vool
Topic: State Cloud (dowload here; the work is conducted in Estonian)