After the course, the students will be able to:
1. understand the EU institutions of the European union (EU),
2. understand animal protection as a shared competence between the EU and the member states (MS),
3. understand the EU’s court system and basic legal principles in case of infringement against the EU legislation concerning animal protection,
4. understand the challenges on animal protection legislation at EU level with the dual legal status of animals as both sentient beings and tradable goods.
The course will develop general skills as:
Communication skills: The ability to understand and express legal concepts clearly is crucial in animal law. This includes written (and oral) communication, which is practiced during the course by the compulsory assignment in the course.
Analytical and critical thinking: Animal law requires the ability to analyze various legal sources, assess their validity and understand the potential consequences of different scenarios. This develops the ability to think critically and analytically.
Problem solving skills: By studying EU-law and particularly the work of the different institutions on EU level in relation to animal protection, students have the opportunity to develop their skills in analyzing animal law issues. This includes identifying problems, gathering relevant information, applying legislation and case law, and supporting one's argument on legal literature to find solutions.
Independent work, ability to manage one's own work: the course requires independent work, such as reading texts and understand what they mean in practice. This develops the ability to take initiative, organize one's work and work independently.
Collaborative skills: During the course the students has to work together by doing training of the different EU institutions work. This develops the ability to work effectively in groups and to communicate and negotiate with others.
Time and resource management: The course assumes that the student must be able to manage his/hers time effectively in order to be able to study and prepare for assignments and exam. This includes the ability to prioritize tasks and use available resources effectively.
By developing these work life skills, students not only gain knowledge about the EU-law and animal protection, but also a valuable set of competencies that can be applied in a range of different professional contexts.
