UNCITRAL-BNU Joint Certificate Program

 

COLLABORATION FOR EXCELLENCE

UNCITRAL-BNU Joint Certificate Program

International E-Commerce Law: Theory and Practice

Purposes and Mission

E-transactions are not limited by national borders by nature.  Their adequate legal treatment is critical to ensure that all the benefits associated with the use of electronic means are fully enjoyed. Electronic exchanges have recently further increased due to the mobility of devices, but this also created additional legal challenges. In order to understand the main issues and the policy and practical implications, learning international law and foreign laws involving e-commerce has become as important as study of the relevant national laws.

The Joint Certificate Program (JCP) was jointly established by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific (UNCITRAL RCAP) and Beijing Normal University (BNU) in October 2013. JCP with UNCITRAL Dr. Luca Castellani and BNU Prof. Dr. Hong Xue as Co-Directors, provides the unique opportunity to research and learn various legal issues in international e-trade, with special attention to the new international trade law in the digital economy. JCP was born at the right timing. Internationally, JCP has become a part of the UN legal technical assistance program and had provided e-commerce law training to Judicial, Commerce and Customs Officials from the developing countries, e.g. Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.  Nationally, JCP squarely fits the Chinese needs for high-level capacity building, research and international exchange on international e-commerce law, particularly when many Chinese other e-commerce enterprises were vibrantly pursing overseas market. While the Chinese E-Commerce Law is being drafted, JCP had invited the international legal experts to offer their legal opinions and comments to the Chinese Highest Legislature.

JCP had successfully organized the First JCP High Level Forum on International E-Commerce Law in November 2014 and two JCP Weeks in Autumn 2014 and Spring 2015 respectively, which provided the rare opportunity for the Chinese students and legal community to directly interact with the international experts  from UNCITRAL, UNESCAP, UNESCO, IDLO, etc.

JCP has become the high-level capacity building forum, research hub and important bridge between Chinese and international legal community on international e-commerce law in Asia and Pacific Region.

The partners of the Joint Certificate Program

UNCITRAL is the core legal body of the United Nations system in the field of international trade law. UNCITRAL is a legal body with universal membership specializing in commercial law reform worldwide for over 40 years. The mission of the UNCITRAL is the modernization and harmonization of the rules on international business. UNCITRAL is, inter alia, providing technical assistance in law reform projects to formulate the modern, fair, and harmonized rules on commercial transaction. The RCAP started its operations on 10 January 2012. Its mandate includes enhancing international trade and development in the Asia-Pacific region by promoting certainty in international commercial transactions through the dissemination of international trade norms and standards, in particular those elaborated by UNCITRAL.

BNU, formed 1902, is a renowned institution of higher education known for teacher education, education science and basic learning in both the arts and the sciences. BNU Law School was inaugurated on 26 April 2006, building on the preexisting Law Department. BNU Law School  and the College for Criminal Law Science (CCLS), set up in August 2005, form the integral law education offer of Beijing Normal University. The Law School and the CCLS also have many international links and partnership programs with leading universities and legal institutions around the world.

Fellows

The Joint Certificate Program offers a high-quality, international and visionary capacity building experience on e-commerce law, particular in the cross-border environment. The Program is only open for up to 15 participants yearly from governments (particularly from developing countries in Asia and the Pacific), academics and private sector, in addition to a few selected post-graduate students. The participants who successfully completed the study are eligible to be jointly certified by UNCITRAL RCAP and BNU as JCP Fellows.

Teaching Modules & Methods

The Joint Certificate Program consists of a one-year program structured on two semesters covering the legal issues critical to understand cross-border e-commerce, i.e.

-Legal Issues in Cross-Border E-Transactions （跨境电子交易法律问题）;

-Internet Governance in E-Commerce （电子商务中的互联网治理问题）;

-Intellectual Property Issues in Cross-Border E-Commerce（跨境电子商务的知识产权法律问题）;

-Governmental Regulation on Cross-Border E-Commerce （跨境电子商务的监管法）;

-Legal Issues in Cross-Border Data flow （跨境数据流通的法律问题）;

-Dispute Resolution For Cross-Border E-Commerce（跨境电子商务的争议解决）.

The Program will be taught by the distinguished international and domestic experts in the relevant areas. In addition to the regular faculties appointed by the International Expert Advisory Committee (IEAC), guest lecturers from Government, business and the legal profession will provide students with the latest information and knowledge.

International Expert Advisory Committee (IEAC)

The International Expert Advisory Committee (IEAC), co-chaired by UNCITRAL and BNU, monitors teaching and academic quality of the Program.

Co-Chairs

Mr. Renaud Sorieul, Secretary General, United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)

Prof. Guangju Chen, Vice President, Beijing Normal University(BNU)

Expert Members

Mr. Joao Ribeiro, UNCITRAL Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific Director (Portugal)

Prof. Hong Xue, Director of Institute for Internet Policy & Law and Co-Director of JCP, BNU

Mr. Luca Castellani, Legal Officer of UNCITRAL and Co-Director of JCP (Italy)

Mr. Yuzhi Shi, Director of Research Department, Financial and Economic Committee of the National People’s Congress

Mr. Fuli Chen, Deputy Director of Treaty and Law Department, Ministry of Commerce

Dr. Dongchuan Luo, Head of 4th Civil and Commercial Tribunal, China Supreme People’s Court

Mr. William Paton, Special Envoy, International Development Law Organization (Canada)

Dr. Yann Duval, Chief, Trade Facilitation, TID, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) (France)

Dr. Hu Li, Deputy Secretary General,China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC)

Prof. Giusella Finocchiaro, Professor of Internet Law and of Private Comparative Law, University of Bologna(Italy)

Mr. Andrea Cairola, Adviser for Communication and Information, UNESCO Office Beijing(France)

Mr. Alamusi, Deputy Director of Law and Policy Subcommittee,China Electronic Commerce Association

Prof. Jian Wang, Director of International Business and e-Business,University of International Business and Economics

Ms. Haiyan Gu, Chief Legal Counsel, Sina.com

William Drake, University of Zurich Institute of Mass Communication and Media Research International Fellow & Lecturer (United States)

Wolfgang Kleinwächter, University of Aarhus Professor for Internet Policy and Regulation and ICANN Board Member (Germany)

Michael Carroll, Professor of Law, Director, Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property, American University (United States)

Contact

Address：Law Schoo, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian Dist., Beijing, China 100875

Tel：+86-10-5880 7986/5880 8364/5880 5168

Fax：+86-10-5880 2496

Email：jcp@bnu.edu.cn

Websites: <http://www.iipl.org.cn>; <http://www.bnulaw.com/en>