Training in French
French and Hungarian Maîtrise of Law (Master 1) – Université Panthéon-Assas Paris II

A course in French language, entitled: “French and European Law” for Hungarian students began at the Faculty in the spring term of 2002. It was the result of an agreement between Université Panhéon-Assas (Paris II) and ELTE’s Faculty of Law and Political Sciences. The course lasts for four semesters, and each semester consists of twenty hours of lectures and eight hours of seminars.

In 2006 that programme transformed. Since then it is called: “French and Hungarian Maîtrise of Law” (Master 1). The participants can obtain the diploma of Panthéon-Assas Paris II University, a diploma that is recognized by both states. A Hungarian Juris Doctor diploma is a precondition for getting that French degree.

To help the studies of those students, the library of the Faculty has been augmented with French legal documentation. The purchase of those books and documents has been financed by the culture section of the French Embassy in Hungary.

Training in German
German and European Law – LL.M. Georg-August Universität Göttingen

A course in German language, entitled: “German and European Law” for Hungarian students began at the Faculty in the autumn term of 2002. It was the result of an agreement between Georg-August-Universität Göttingen and ELTE’s Faculty of Law and Political Sciences. The course lasts for two semesters, and each semester consists of 36 hours of lectures and consultations, which are held in German by instructors of the Göttingen University.

As from the 2006/2007 academic year, the cooperation of the two universities assumed a new format. After completing their legal programme in German in Budapest and upon obtaining their Hungarian Juris Doctor diploma, Hungarian students may attend the Göttingen University for one semester and obtain the LL.M. diploma of the Georg-August-Universität.

The Göttingen University acknowledges the Hungarian students’ completion of studies at ELTE to be equivalent with one semester in the master’s training. That is why it is sufficient for those students to attend classes at Göttingen for just one semester and then they may defend their diploma thesis.

In 2001 the European Commission conferred the title of “Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence” on the Department of International Private Law and European Economic Law acknowledging its results in education and research in connection with European integration during the previous decade.

As financed by the European Commission, in 2009 the Centre launched a two-year research programme, entitled: “Central European countries after and before accession – possible ways of cooperation at regional level.” In view of the fact that several countries of Central and Eastern Europe acceded to the European Union in 2004 and 2007 after almost a decade of preparations in economic, political and legal fields, research seeks answer to several questions: in what directions have the various branches of law developed; how can the new EU Member States respond to the challenges of law of the European Union; how could these states learn from one another’s experiences; in what manner is it possible to improve the efficiency of the teaching of the law of the European Union at local and regional levels?

The following branches of law are covered by research: the law of business organizations, competition law, international private law, the free movement of individuals, family law and the law of immigration, certain aspects of consumer protection and the diversity of the European legal culture. We plan to organize an international conference to present the findings of the research project in 2011, when Hungary will be Current President of the European Union.

Preparations are currently underway for an English-language postgraduate course that will analyse European economic integration and its legal aspects from a regional point of view, especially that of East-Central Europe. The course will be unique in the European Union and it will consist of two semesters. Entitled: “LL.M. in European Business Law,” the course is expected to begin in September 2011.

Ever since 1996 the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences organizes a Hungarian-language Summer University for Hungarians who live beyond Hungary’s borders in the second part of July. The lectures are conducted simultaneously in two sections. In the first section the syllabus covers the Hungarian legal terminology, the characteristics of Hungarian legal institutions, the sources and special literature of Hungarian law and recent results in codification. Comparisons are made between Hungarian and other European legal institutions; and the legal institutions of Hungarian minorities in neighbouring countries are outlined to explore possibilities of development in that field. In the second section the most important chapters of Hungarian constitutional history and of the history of Hungarian public law are introduced. The participants are recruited among legal practitioners, law school students, history major students and teachers of history who consider the Summer University as extension education. The lectures are conducted by instructors of the Faculty and eminent members of the Hungarian legal establishment. The Summer University is organized with the assistance of the Government Office for Hungarian Minorities Abroad and financially supported by several ministries, foundations, banks, social associations, companies and book publishing houses.