Debut of the faculty of law team in the Jean-Pictet Competition
This year the Faculty of Law of the HSE University had the honour of being represented at this prestigious international contest for the first time.
This year, the HSE University was represented by three students of the Faculty of Law:
- Ivan Salychev, 4th-year undergraduate, track “International Law”;
- Anna‑Mariia Popova, 5th-year undergraduate, track “International Law”;
- Angelina Vasiltsova, 4th-year undergraduate, track “International Law”.
For several months the team’s intensive preparation was led by Roman Abrashin (master’s programme “Law of International Trade and Dispute Resolution”) and Vitaliy Magun (master’s programme “Public Law”) under the guidance of Professor Vera Rusinova.
The Jean-Pictet Competition is a unique international team contest for law students in the field of international humanitarian law. Its format differs from classical moot-court competitions and is built around immersion in professional roles. The primary aim of the competition is to “take the law out of the books” and apply IHL rules in conditions that closely simulate real humanitarian situations.
Over 4 intensive days our team completed 9 rounds in which participants were required to demonstrate their ability to make prompt, well-reasoned decisions and to interact effectively with state authorities, international organisations and non-governmental actors. Students took on roles such as legal advisers, members of parliamentary committees, ICRC delegates, heads of regional offices of UN agencies and NGO experts.
The subject matter of the rounds covered a wide range of contemporary issues in public international law and international humanitarian law, including:
- the legal qualification of armed conflicts and the determination of the status of participants;
- the principles governing the conduct of hostilities and the lawfulness of using new technologies, including artificial intelligence;
- protection of the civilian population and ensuring humanitarian access during sieges, as well as the legal aspects of detention and the search for missing persons.
During the competition our team demonstrated skills in legal argumentation, negotiation in a multicultural environment, and the ability to adapt legal analysis to the requirements of a specific professional role, while maintaining professional ethics and neutrality.
Faculty of law team members’ impressions:
Ivan Salychev: “The Jean-Pictet Competition gave me a rare opportunity to see the ‘inside’ of international humanitarian and human-rights work — how international law is applied in specific circumstances: from legal assessment of complex situations and advising to developing solutions and coordinating assistance. As an integral part of the competition, I especially remember conversations with participants from different countries — in a warm, friendly atmosphere we exchanged ideas easily, made new contacts and built useful professional relationships.”
Anna-Mariia Popova: “For me, the most valuable experience was the direct competition with students from the world's best law schools. The results reaffirmed our belief that we invested our energy and time incredibly effectively! I can only wish the students of our faculty to also find themselves in this amazing place, where for a week the lines between theory and practice are erased, and you are plunged into this whirlwind of international events. It is a place where everyone leaves with the understanding that the one thing that truly unites all people is humanity.”
Angelina Vasiltsova: “This competition, among other things, is an incredible boost to public-speaking skills and self-confidence. Due to the competition’s specific format, participants are forced to think on the spot, which greatly improves oral technique — flexibility of speech, the ability to answer questions without losing composure, working with intonation — and, naturally, it is a major workout for oral legal English. One must also mention the competition’s amazing atmosphere and the ton of new friends and colleagues you meet there!”
Participation in the Jean-Pictet Competition became an important element of practical training for international-law practitioners. Experience applying rules of international law in scenarios approximating real life lays a foundation for further professional development in international law and international relations.