The department was established on March 5, 2004. In 2005, it separated from the combined Department of History and Theory of State and Law, Constitutional and International Law. The first head of the Department of International and European Law was Garib Babayan (2005–2006). From November 2006 to 2013, the department was headed by Arman Dilyan, and from 2013 to 2014, by Tigran Nagapetyan. During 2014–2015, the department was led by Vladimir Vardanyan, followed by Lilith Yerekyan from September 2015 to December 2019. Since March 2020, the department has been headed by Vladimir Oganesyan.
The faculty of the department actively participates in shaping students' legal and political knowledge, as well as their ability to navigate international processes and trends, including developments in CIS countries and the region.
The department is focused on serious scientific research work by both its faculty and the students, master’s students, and postgraduates of RAU who specialize in the department. Students and master’s students regularly participate in annual scientific conferences at RAU, national conferences, seminars, Olympiads, international competitions, and round tables.
International Cooperation
The department collaborates with various institutes of RAU as well as other universities in Armenia and abroad. The department has established close cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross Representation in Armenia. On various scientific topics, the department actively interacts with International University, Novosibirsk State University, Voronezh State University, and Moscow State University.
MISSION
Today, given the numerous foreign policy and domestic legal factors, a deep and comprehensive study of international law and European law is particularly relevant and practical for the Republic of Armenia.
The main objectives of the department are:
Establishment of a law school in the Republic of Armenia on the most relevant areas of international law;
Training and production of highly qualified professionals who are competitive in national and international labor markets.
The main tasks of the department are:
Improvement of training programmes and development of new training programmes in the most priority and current areas of international law and European law;
Ensuring closer cooperation with leading universities of Armenia; active international cooperation with leading educational and research institutions of the world;
Modernization of teaching methods with emphasis on interactive ways to involve students in the learning process; abolition of a purely formalistic approach in the teaching process;
Improvement of teaching quality, training of students practical skills along with the theoretical knowledge base, paying special attention to the formation of logical and analytical thinking in students;
Organization of national and international scientific events with active involvement of the students of the department;
Development of interdisciplinary courses in cooperation with other departments.
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTIONS
The main and priority scientific directions of the Department are:
International human rights law;
International humanitarian law;
International criminal law;
Right to self-determination;
Study of genocide (as an interdisciplinary discipline);
Law of the European Union;
The rights of refugees; The rights of the Eurasian Economic Union
The department operates at three levels of the educational process: undergraduate, master's, and doctoral studies. It is a graduating department at the Institute of Law for the specialization in "LAW"
UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES
The specifics of international law and European law, along with scientific and technological progress and the development of education, present new challenges to the faculty of the department.
In undergraduate studies, the main goal of the department is to ensure a high-quality and effective educational process by imparting knowledge in the fields of international law and European law, as well as professional skills. This includes developing students' analytical thinking, creativity, and ability to find unconventional solutions to problem areas, as well as their capacity to work independently and in small groups. The aim is to prepare highly qualified specialists.
In undergraduate studies, the department’s faculty provides students with fundamental knowledge of International Law and European Union Law.
MASTER'S PROGRAM
In the master’s program, the department faces a qualitatively new challenge: guiding and ensuring effective scientific research work by master’s students. The courses offered are more focused and practical in nature.
The master’s program in “International Public Law, European Law” falls under the specialization of “Law”
DOCTORAL STUDIES
The department offers a program for training research and teaching staff in the doctoral studies under the specialization 5.1.5 “International Law; European Law.”
Education
1971- 1976. - Faculty of Law, Yerevan State University.
Candidate of Law Sciences since 1988. Thesis topic: "Specialized organizations of socialist countries".
Doctor of Law since 2012.
EMPLOYMENT
From 1991 to 1996 - Deputy Attorney General of the RA. He was a Deputy Attorney General.
From February 5, 1996 to 2018. - member of the Constitutional Court of RA.
From 24 September 1997 to 2018. - Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Court of RA. He is a Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Court of RA.