How to contribute to Indonesia’s security and rule of law reform agenda? This was the key question of a one-week meeting at the Universitas Padjadjaran (UNPAD) in Bandung. The Clingendael Academy, together with Maastricht University and CINOP, travelled to Indonesia to discuss the set-up of this new capacity-building program in international law.

State-of-the-art knowledge

In order to have well-trained legal professionals working in the Indonesian security and law reform agenda, the current staff of the International Public Law (IL) department of UNPAD first of all expressed their desire to upgrade their expertise in IL. Indonesia only has two universities with international law departments under the Fakultas Hukum, UNPAD being one of them. To enable UNPAD's law lecturers to deliver up-to-date university courses and publications, the first term of the project will primarily be dedicated to upgrading knowledge on the latest trends and practical insight in International Law. Specifically, a focus will be put on new topics that UNPAD lecturers want to see mainstreamed throughout the IL study programme: gender issues, ASEAN and current relevant cases. It was decided to have an intensive programme taking place in The Netherlands for these staff members, taken place at the Clingendael Academy and Maastricht University in August 2015. They will discuss trends in international relations affecting international law and visit the many legal institutions located in The Hague.

Triggering learning methods

The quality of the study program depends not only on the course’ contents, equally important are the teaching methodologies used. The second component of this project focusses on training UNPAD staff in how to use new educational methodologies. They will all be introduced in using the interactive learning method called problem-based learning. In problem-based learning, originating from medical study programs, each topic starts with a realistic case, before diving into relevant judicial theory to solve the case. Other learning methods to implement in current practice will be shared such as different forms of writing assignments, simulations, and the use of training students’ soft skills.

Socialisasie

Later in this four year project, the Clingendael Academy will offer training activities to UNPAD staff related to the IL department’s outreach, socialisasie, and cooperation with government institutions. Clingendael, being an institute at the cross-roads of (academic) knowledge and practice, will support this function that is yet underdeveloped at UNPAD and in Indonesian legal education. Clingendael’s public function will also provide ample learning opportunities for UNPAD’s international law department for developing its extension services.

Click here for more information about Clingendael capacity-building programmes in Indonesia. The Clingendael Academy also has a long history in diplomatic cooperation with the Indonesian MFA. A total of 500 Indonesian diplomats have been trained in The Hague in the past 11 years of cooperation. 

- 17 April 2015