The very first main goal of this bilateral engagement has been to give our faculty students the opportunity to take part in the EPLO's academic programs, which change its theme every year and focus on different topics related to law, international relations, economics, and political science. In addition to the academic programs, our faculty has been working with the EPLO to organize international conferences in Szeged. These conferences provide students, faculty, and other university members a platform to engage with experts on current topics in the field.

Over the past six years, 37 students have received scholarships amounting to approximately 14.5 million HUF in total. Up until 2023, the Ministry of Justice of Hungary was the main source of funding for the project. Since then, the International and Regional Studies Institute (IRSI) has taken over that role. These funds make it possible for our students to take part in the EPLO academic programs, for our lecturers to give talks at the EPLO conferences organized in Greece, and to put on the conferences in Szeged.

International Conferences Organized in Szeged

Some of the conferences organized by the EPLO and the IRSI include the first one, "Democracy and Law in European Integration," which took place in 2018. Then there was "Economy, Law, and Sovereignty in the EU" in 2019. In 2020, an online conference during the pandemic was organized, called "The Western Balkans Joining the European Union." The last conference was held in 2023 and focused on one of the most current debates in Europe: the challenges raised by artificial intelligence and digitalization.

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Students’ Academic Engagement

The EPLO academic programs, in which our students have been engaged for several years, offer high-quality summer courses. Our students have participated in numerous programs, though three stand out as particularly noteworthy. The Migration Summer School has been offering courses starting with critical themes, from the integration of migrants and refugees to the topic of women in international migration. The Academy of European Public Law has offered deep insights into topics such as human rights and European integration. Over the years, five of our students earned the prestigious Intensive International Master of Laws degree through this program, developing their academic background while advancing their legal expertise. Finally, the Global Administrative Law in Practice program offered immersive learning opportunities on very current topics with a lot of practical applications.

These programs have provided students with opportunities to showcase their academic achievements while offering benefits such as networking opportunities. Two students won the esteemed Ortega Thesis Prize during the Academy of European Public Law; one of them found a network that helped complete an important part of her Ph.D. dissertation. Many more similar examples exist proving benefits of academic engagement of our students with the EPLO programs.

Faculty’s Representation at the EPLO Events and in the Academy
The other goal of the cooperation has been to raise our Faculty’s academic representation at the EPLO events, such as participating in the annual reunion of the European Group of Public Law. This high-level experts' meeting has been organized every year with a specific theme, bringing together the research community and experts to share their current works and ideas. The EGPL in 2024 was held on 13-14 September, entitled "A Changing Europe in a Changing World," at the EPLO Premises of Legrena, Sounion. Our Faculty members, Dr. Anikó Szalai, Dr. Gizem Gültekin-Várkonyi, and Dr. Norbert Tribl, participated and presented during the event. Dr. Szalai gave one of the kick-off speeches of the reunion, entitled "Recent Armed Conflicts and Their Influence on the State of Public International Law." During the presentation, Dr. Szalai analyzed the impact of recent armed conflicts on public international law from the international humanitarian law, international criminal law, treaty law, and state responsibility points of view, offering a solution on the need for legal adaptations and the role of international courts in progressively interpreting and developing the law. During the reunion meeting, a workshop entitled “AI, Sovereignty, and the Rule of Law,” organized by Dr. Szalai, Dr. Gültekin-Várkonyi, and Dr. Norbert Tribl, focused on the challenges imposed by artificial intelligence systems on democracy and human rights, specifically on the question of the state’s responsibility to ensure a democratic environment and protection of the right to privacy.

Finally, as a member of the EPLO from our Faculty, Dr. Szalai participated in the 35th EPLO Board of Directors Meeting organized right before the 2024 reunion and represented the Faculty. Besides her membership to the Board, she was appointed as the Director of the Academy of European Public Law in 2023. Under her directorship, the Academy has completed two successful sessions with an increased number of participants in the program and distinctive experts giving their lectures during the academy. In March 2024, Anikó Szalai was invited to three universities in Rome, Italy, namely Sapienza Università di Roma, LUISS, and Roma Tre, to give lectures and conduct workshops with students about international litigation issues relating to climate change, the human rights aspects of climate change, and the rights of future generations. Besides the wonderful academic experience, these events provided an excellent platform to increase knowledge about both the University of Szeged and the European Public Law Organization.

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We already look forward to next year's cooperation, which starts in January, when Anikó Szalai visits the EPLO premises in Cascais, Portugal, and gives a human rights-focused course at the Global Rule of Law Master's program of EPLO. The IRSI would like to continue to support the students both administratively, financially and academically to participate more in the EPLO programs, while continuing to organize conferences and offering the faculty members the opportunity to participate in the EPLO events.