Recommended prerequisite for participation in the module

Participation requires separate application from the student. See special notice. Students are selected based on an overall assessment of the student’s motivation, language skills and grades. The application must contain a one-page motivation for applying and a copy of the student’s transcript. Other materials may be added.

Content, progress and pedagogy of the module

• To supplement the student’s knowledge and skills in a way that may form part of the student’s choice of educational and professional profile

Learning objectives

Knowledge

• International Sales Law
• International Commercial Arbitration and the institutional arbitration rules
• High level legal English
• Contract interpretation
• Writing of memoranda

Skills

• Define and structure a given legal commercial problem and its proposed solution
• Identify the legal issues in a dispute between two or more parties to a contract
• Argue a position that provides the best position for the client represented
• Present and plead a position in court-like environment

Competences

• Apply the rules of international sales law and arbitration
• Present a legal argument in a consistent and structured manner using high level English
• Identify and analyse legal disputes and the consequences of possible rule infringement

Type of instruction

• Lectures
• Group work
• Court-sessions

Extent and expected workload

• 540 hours

Exam

Exams

Name of exam	Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot
Type of exam	Oral exam based on a project 20 minutes per student
ECTS	20
Permitted aids	With certain aids: Memoranda
Assessment	7-point grading scale
Type of grading	External examination
Criteria of assessment	The criteria of assessment are stated in the Examination Policies and Procedures

Additional information

The moot competition gives students a unique opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in pleading a case in front of a panel of judges and in writing memorandums. Students that are elected to participate will represent Aalborg University in the world’s largest moot competition and will compete against more than 300 other universities. The elective is unique because the students will be participating in a lengthy and individually arranged learning process by which professional skills in the fields of international contract law and arbitration will be gained alongside with personal skills that are of relevance to law firms. The students will get opportunities to practice pleading skills by participating in pre-moot events throughout the world, however students will not be guaranteed a place at the final rounds in Vienna. The students that are elected to plead at the final rounds in Vienna will have the opportunity to receive honorable mentions.

As part of the elective, the student shall apply for external funding, write memorandums in English and prepare oral pleadings. The oral pleadings will take place the week before Easter in Vienna. The competition falls across two semesters from September until two weeks after Easter and will be concluded with an oral exam. A considerable work performance is expected of the participants, which includes the participants own preparation time and active participation, which includes travel activity.