On 16-17 of March, PhD students of the VU Faculty of Law participated in the annual seminar organised by the International Doctoral Studies Network. This year, doctoral students studying at the Network’s partner universities were invited by the University of Lodz to discuss Law and Values, with the discussions being moderated by scholars from the faculties of law of the Network’s member universities.
Tadas Lukošius, a PhD student at the Department of Public Law, presented the historical genesis of the aequitas principle. Miranda Borusevičiūtė, a PhD student at the same department, questioned the overemphasis of softlaw instruments in the interpretation of the text of the Constitution. Justinas Drakšas, a PhD student at the Department of Private Law, challenged the participants to reconsider the use of obviousness arguments in the interpretation of legal texts, while Agnė Selvestravičiūtė, a PhD student at the same department, presented the challenges of combining consumer protection with environmental protection in the European Union, which has sustainability as one of its declared goals.
The PhD students and their colleagues discussed a wide range of issues, both highly theoretical and practical, looking at the reflection of values in the context of competition, animal protection, aviation and even blockchain technology. One of the seminar sessions was moderated by Vice-Dean for Studies of VU Law Faculty, doc. dr. Vigita Vėbraitė, and the Dean, doc. dr. Haroldas Šinkūnas, gave an opening speech to the participants.
The annual Doctoral Seminar is one of the permanent activities of the International Doctoral Studies Network, which was founded by Vilnius University Faculty of Law, Frankfurt am Main J.W. Goethe University Faculty of Law, Paris Nanterre University Faculty of Law and Lodz University Faculty of Law.
The International Legal Doctorate Network was established in 2014 April 10th signing a memorandum between Vilnius University, Frankfurt am Main J.W. Faculty of Law of Goethe University, University of Paris Nanterre and University of Lodz.