UP Press Releases - University of Potsdam

An institution celebrates its anniversary: The Franco-German degree Program in law, which was jointly initiated by the Universities of Potsdam and Paris Nanterre in 1994, turns 30 years old. "Since it was established, almost 3,000 law experts have completed the program," says Prof. Dr. Michael Sonnentag. "Many of them are now working in transnational institutions and organizations where they contribute to the success of Franco-German judicial relations and certainly help Europe grow even closer together," says the law expert, who is in charge of the program. The two partner universities are celebrating this unique success story with a ceremony on May 25 on Griebnitzsee Campus. In addition to speeches by the heads of the degree program, the focus of the event will be on alumni, who will talk about their experiences during their studies and their careers after graduation.

The Franco-German degree program consists of a six-semester undergraduate bachelor’s/“licence” degree program and a four-semester master's degree program that builds up on it. Of the current total of 187 students on the Franco-German program in law, 149 are studying for a bachelor's/“licence” and 38 for a master's degree. 79 students are currently studying at the University of Potsdam and 108 at the University of Paris Nanterre. There is also a double doctoral studies procedure between the two universities with a research group consisting of 16 doctoral students at the moment.

A unique feature compared to all other Franco-German law programs in Germany is that German and French law are taught in roughly equal parts throughout the course, with lectures on German law that are also relevant for the German first state examination in law. German law is taught by German faculty members and French law by French faculty members.

In the three years of the bachelor’s/“licence” program, students are trained in the basics, namely history of law and legal methodology, as well as in civil law, criminal law, and public sector law of both legal systems. Upon successful completion, they receive a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of Potsdam and a “Licence en droit” from the University of Paris Nanterre.
Students then have the opportunity to continue their studies in Germany in order to prepare for the first state examination in law. The alternative is a master's degree in Franco-German Law, in which the first year takes place at the University of Paris Nanterre and the second year at the University of Potsdam. However, there is also a “trilingue” option, in which students can continue their second year of study in a third country, such as India, instead of Potsdam. The master's program allows students to specialize in one of three areas: international law (international public law and international private law), business law, or human rights. The master's program concludes with a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Potsdam and a master's degree from the University of Paris Nanterre.
After the master's degree, students can join a double doctorate program (Cotutelle de thèse) at the Universities of Potsdam and Paris Nanterre. These doctoral students write their doctoral thesis in either German or French and include a 50-page summary in the other language. After the successful bilingual oral defense of their thesis, they will receive two separate doctorates, one from the University of Potsdam and one from the University of Paris Nanterre.

Time: May 25, 2024, Ceremony: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: University of Potsdam, Griebnitzsee Campus, August-Bebel-Str. 89, 14482 Potsdam, Building 6/H03
Contact: Prof. Dr. Michael Sonnentag, Holder of the Chair for Civil Law and International Private Law
Phone: +49 331 977-3573
E-Mail: michael.sonnentaguuni-potsdampde
Internet: https://jura-potsdam-paris.de/

Media information: 15-05-2024 / No. 036

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