Rhodes Academy

The Rhodes Academy of Oceans Law and Policy is an international collegial institution dedicated to fostering a better understanding of the modern law of the sea. Through education on the principles of contemporary oceans law and policy, the Rhodes Academy seeks to promote adherence to the rule of law in the world's oceans. Founded in 1995, the Academy held its inaugural session in the summer of 1996 and operates on an annual basis. Rhodes Academy graduates and applicants are eligible for the International Cable Protection Committee Writing Award of 1,000 pounds sterling. 2010 winner ~ 2011 winner. Note that in 2013 two scholarships and travel grants are expected to be awarded to two applicants who submit a publishable paper on the topic of submarine cables. For background information on cables and law of the sea and suggestions for topics, please see http://cil.nus.edu.sg/research-projects/submarine-cables. Writing Award further information.

Please send your Rhodes Academy application and letters of reference to the Center for Oceans Law and Policy by email to Ms. Julie Garmel (jg4e@virginia.edu), or by fax (434-924-7362).

The eighteenth session of the Rhodes Academy of Oceans Law and Policy will be held June 30-July 20, 2013. The deadline to submit applications is May 1, 2013. Late applications cannot be considered. The Rhodes Academy general information booklet, 2013 program brochure, and 2013 schedule are available, as is the 2013 poster.

Once an applicant is informed of acceptance to the academy a non-refundable tuition fee of $500 USD is required to reserve a place. Tuition includes registration fees and all course material. A limited number of scholarships and an even more limited number of travel grants are available to students, based on high academic merit and financial need. Classes and accommodations are located beside the Mediterranean Sea near Old Town, Rhodes. Accommodations and half board for an anticipated 21-day stay (30 June to 20 July 2013) in Rhodes were approximately €1,400 Euros for a single room and approximately €1,100 Euros for a shared room in 2013.

The Rhodes Academy is a cooperative undertaking sponsored by the Center for Oceans Law and Policy, University of Virginia School of Law (Charlottesville, USA); the Aegean Institute of the Law of the Sea and Maritime Law (Rhodes, Greece); the Law of the Sea Institute of Iceland (Reykjavik, Iceland); the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law (Heidelberg, Germany); The Netherlands Institute for the Law of the Sea, Utrecht University (Utrecht, The Netherlands); the Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore (Singapore); and the Korea Maritime Institute (Seoul, Korea). The current Directors designated by the sponsoring institutions are Tomas Heidar, John Norton Moore, Nikos Skourtos, Alfred Soons, and Rüdiger Wolfrum. Administrative activities outside Rhodes are coordinated by the Center for Oceans Law and Policy, while the Aegean Institute coordinates local arrangements.

The Academy entails an intensive, three-week course of study, with lectures by leading jurists, practitioners, and international law faculty from around the world. Although it is a single course of study, the program is divided into two distinct units. The first two weeks focus on the foundations of modern oceans law, recent developments, and an overview of the 1982 United Nations Conference of the Law of the Sea. In the second week, several short courses address specific topics under the rubric of oceans law and policy. The third week typically focuses on an issue of current concern to the international community. Passing an optional examination enables students to receive a diploma from the Rhodes Academy.

In comments prepared for the inaugural session of the Rhodes Academy, United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali said, "The objective of your academy, fostering a better understanding of the law of the sea, is one to which the United Nations has dedicated itself almost since its inception. The success of the Academy is therefore of particular interest to the United Nations. . . . The exchange of ideas and other forms of cooperation between the United Nations and the Academy should serve our common purpose of fostering a better understanding of the law of the sea."

The student body of the Rhodes Academy is kept relatively small to allow for maximum interaction among students and lecturers. The distinguished international faculty and diverse student body are strengths of the Academy, bringing together different perspectives on global and regional issues. These elements make the Rhodes Academy a unique educational opportunity, and facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the principles of oceans law and policy as reflected in the practice of States, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and a myriad of related international agreements.

A distinguished faculty has taught at the Rhodes Academy over the past 17 years. The faculty has been selected from 16 different nationalities and its expertise is deep as well as wide ranging. The following is an alphabetical listing of lecturers who participated as faculty during the 2009-2012 sessions:

Professor Myron H. Nordquist, the Associate Director of the COLP, directs the substantive portions of the Rhodes Academy while Ms. Julie Garmel is in charge of administrative arrangements. They may be contacted for additional information at the Center for Oceans Law and Policy. E-mail for additional information.