All Ireland Society for Higher Education
| Name: | Marie-Luce Paris-Dobozy |
|---|---|
| Email: | marieluce.paris@ucd.ie |
| Institution: | University College Dublin |
It is well acknowledged that internationalisation of Higher Education in Ireland is a necessary response to the demands of globalisation. Increasing interactions between organizations and countries are common trends (The Higher Education Policy Implications of Globalisation: A Quality Assurance Agency Perspective, Donna BELL & Peter CULLEN, AISHE Conference 2006, Creating and Sustaining an Effective Learning Environment).
This is particularly relevant in the European Union context where the demands can be very specific. In addition to major improvements in the excellence of teaching and learning quality within European universities, a key element of the Lisbon Strategy insists on the learning of foreign languages (Mobilising the brainpower of Europe: enabling universities to make their full contribution to the Lisbon Strategy, Communication from the Commission, Com (2005) 152, 20 April 2005).
In this context, the UCD Law School has put in place two specific Programmes aimed at combining these two dimensions in a Law curriculum - the need to acquire legal skills and key competencies in another European language. The Bachelor of Civil Law with French Law (introduced in 1999) is a four-year degree which introduces a strong comparative dimension that enables students to study two of the world's major legal systems - Common Law and Civil Law. The Bachelor of Civil Law/Maitrise (introduced in 2005) offers students the opportunity to obtain qualifying Law degrees in two jurisdictions and provides an excellent foundation for a career in international or European Law. Both Programmes broaden the curriculum and give it a strong European dimension.
This paper offers a case study of the challenges arising from the creation and management of the two Programmes. It presents an evaluation of the tasks involved in designing the curriculum in terms of proper balance with other Irish Law subjects, as well as choice of adequate teaching methods through the foreign language. There is also a reflection on the benefits gained from teaching and learning French Law for the students, the academics and the institution.