OSCE Project Co-ordinator supports improvement of administrative law curriculum in Ukraine

KAMYANETS-PODILSKY, Ukraine, 20 November 2008 - Reform of Ukraine's administrative law and changes to the respective law course curriculum at universities is the focus of a two-day conference that opened in western Ukraine today.

The conference, organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine the Centre for Political and Legal Reforms and the Koretskyi Law Institute, brought together legal scholars to discuss new approaches in this area and the experience of countries such as Germany, France and Poland. Experts from the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and the Lviv National University, which have already modernized their administrative law courses, will also share their experiences with participants.

"A new vision of citizen-state relations should be taken into account while educating a new generation of Ukrainian lawyers. There is therefore a need to improve the administrative law curriculum at the Ukrainian universities," said Ihor Koliushko, the Head of the Board of Directors of the Centre for Political and Legal Reforms.

Robert W. Becker, Senior Project Manager at the Office of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator, added: "Proper understanding of administrative law will significantly improve the quality of Ukrainian legal education and therefore will have positive impact on the quality of independent legal profession, public service, judiciary and other legal professions."

The conference is expected to offer recommendations for developing a new curriculum for administrative law courses.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator's Office has been assisting Ukraine with administrative law reform by convening working groups to develop draft codes, laws and amendments to existing legislation regulating citizen-state relations.