The "Sino-German Symposium on Legal Education and Legal Methodology", supported by the Macau University of Science and Technology Foundation, was held on the morning of September 13, 2023, at the N101 Auditorium of Macau University of Science and Technology. The Faculty of Law at M.U.S.T. invited experts and scholars from the Faculty of Law at Augsburg University, the Faculty of Law at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, the Faculty of Law at the University of Cologne, the Faculty of Law at Bremen University, the Faculty of Law at Passau University, the Faculty of Law and Economics at the University of Applied Sciences Wiesbaden, and Northwestern Polytechnical University to explore legal education and legal methodology in China and Germany. The symposium aimed to promote exchanges and cooperation in the field of legal education between China and Germany, explore trends in legal methodology, and enhance teaching and research exchanges and cooperation between M.U.S.T. Faculty of Law and various German universities. The opening ceremony of the symposium included the signing ceremony of a friendly agreement between the Faculty of Law at M.U.S.T. and the Faculty of Law at Augsburg University.
Group photo of participants
Deputy Minister Huang Wenjun of the Legal Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region, Deputy Director Teng Sio Hong of the Education and Youth Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, Vice President Pang Chuan of Macau University of Science and Technology, Vice President Wang Jia of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Professor Thomas M.J. Möllers, Director of International Affairs at the Faculty of Law at Augsburg University, Lei Wun Kong, a member of the Basic Law Committee of the Macao SAR of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and a consultant to the Faculty of Law at M.U.S.T., and Professor Fang Quan, Dean of the Faculty of Law at M.U.S.T., attended the symposium as the guests of honor. Other guests at the symposium included Professor Beate Gsell, Dean of the Faculty of Law at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Professor Michael Kort from the Faculty of Law at Augsburg University, Professor Martin Wassmer from the Faculty of Law at the University of Cologne, Professor Holm Putzke, a visiting professor at the Faculty of Law at Passau University and the University of Applied Sciences Wiesbaden, Professor Shen Liuhua, an academic assistant at the Faculty of Law at Augsburg University and Deputy Director of the EU-China Legal Research and Innovation Center, Dr. Robert Korves, an academic assistant at the Faculty of Law at Bremen University, Dr. Matthias Wachter, Dr. Maximilian Merwald, Dr. Lisa Wolf, and Dr. Tobias Manhardt from the Faculty of Law at Augsburg University. Local scholars including Associate Professor Li Hongjiang from the City University of Macau, Professor Cao Xia, Assistant Professor Bi Jingwei, Assistant Professor Xiao Huina, Assistant Professor Wang Rongguo, Assistant Professor Guo Yiting, and nearly three hundred law students from the Faculty of Law at M.U.S.T. attended the event in person.
Group photo taken at the symposium venue
Vice President Pang Chuan of Macau University of Science and Technology expressed in his speech that as an international university, Macau University of Science and Technology has always been committed to promoting academic exchanges and cooperation on the international level. The purpose of this seminar is to enhance the educational and academic exchanges and cooperation between the Faculty of Law at Macau University of Science and Technology and the law schools of German universities. This seminar and the signing ceremony signify a crucial step taken by Macau University of Science and Technology in the field of international academic exchanges and cooperation, which will bring more opportunities and achievements to both institutions.
Vice President Pang Chuan delivers a speech
Deputy Director Teng Sio Hong of the Education and Youth Development Bureau of the Macau Special Administrative Region government stated in his speech that the seminar organized by Macau University of Science and Technology provides a platform for experts and scholars from Mainland China, Germany, and Macau to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and promote academic and professional exchanges. It highlights the role of Macau as a "base" for development and a platform for cooperation. He hopes that the participants will strengthen future cooperation through this grand event of legal studies, and jointly promote new developments in legal education, making greater contributions to the construction of high-quality rule of law and talent cultivation.
Deputy Director Teng Sio Hong delivers a speech
Professor Thomas M.J. Möllers, the Director of International Affairs at the Faculty of Law, University of Augsburg, Germany, expressed in his speech that he is honored to have the opportunity to engage in in-depth exchanges with the faculty and students of Macau University of Science and Technology and the Faculty of Law. He looks forward to strengthening cooperation and exchanges in the fields of legal education and theoretical research between the two institutions after signing the friendly agreement, and building a bridge for friendly academic exchanges and cooperation between German universities and higher education institutions in Macau.
Professor Thomas M.J. Möllers delivers a speech
Dean Fang Quan of the Faculty of Law at Macau University of Science and Technology stated in his speech that the purpose of this seminar is to promote cross-domain cooperation and knowledge exchange among law schools in different countries and regions. In the face of globalization and the era of intelligence, the content and methods of legal education should also keep pace with the times. Over the years, China and Germany have had rich traditions of exchanges and cooperation in the field of legal education and theoretical research. As a law school in the special administrative region, the Faculty of Law at Macau University of Science and Technology maintains good communication and exchanges with law schools in German universities. She looks forward to further promoting external exchanges, cooperation, and international development of the Faculty through the opportunity of signing a friendly agreement with the Faculty of Law, University of Augsburg, Germany.
Dean Fang Quan delivers a speech
During the signing ceremony, Professor Fang Quan, Dean of the Faculty of Law at Macau University of Science and Technology, and Professor Thomas M.J. Möllers, Director of International Affairs at the Faculty of Law, University of Augsburg, represented their respective institutions in signing the Friendly College Agreement and the Student Exchange Agreement. Vice Minister Huang Wenjun, Vice Director Teng Sio Hong, Vice President Pang Chuan, Professor Michael Kort from the Faculty of Law, University of Augsburg, and Professor Shen Liu Hua were present as witnesses for this signing ceremony.
Guests at the signing ceremony from left to right: Dean Fang Quan, Professor Thomas M.J. Möllers
Witnesses at the signing ceremony from left to right: Professor Shen Liuhua, Vice Director Teng Sio Hong, Vice Minister Huang Wenjun, Vice President Pang Chuan, Professor Michael Kort
Gift Presentation Ceremony I
From left: Dean Fang Quan, Professor Beate Gsell, Professor Martin Wassmer, Dean Thomas M.J. Möllers, Professor Michael Kort
Gift Presentation Ceremony II
From left: Dean Fang Quan, Professor Shen Liuhua, Dr. Matthias Wachter, Dr. Robert Korves, Professor Holm Putzke, Dr. Maximilian Merwald, Dr. Lisa Wolf, Dr. Tobias Manhardt, Associate Professor Li Hongjiang
Gift Presentation Ceremony III
From left: Dean Fang Quan, Vice President Wang Jian
After the signing ceremony, the "Sino-German Symposium on Legal Education and Legal Methodology" officially began. At the beginning f the main forum, Professor Thomas M.J. Möllers, Director of International Affairs at the Faculty of Law, University of Augsburg, delivered the keynote speech on the importance of language models, using ChatGPT as an example, in legal education and legal methodology. In the presentation session, Professor Cao Xia from the Faculty of Law at Macau University of Science and Technology served as the moderator for the seminar presentations and discussions. Vice President Wang Jian, Dean Beate Gsell, Professor Michael Kort, Professor Martin Wassmer, Assistant Professor Bi Jingwei, and Assistant Professor Wong Weng Kuok each presented reports on Sino-German legal education and legal research.
Guests at the main forum from left to right: Professor Cao Xia, Vice President Wang Jian, Dean Beate Gsell, Professor Michael Kort, Professor Martin Wassmer, Assistant Professor Bi Jingwei, Assistant Professor Wong Weng Kuok
The Sub-Forum of the symposium were held in the R104 Conference Hall of the university in the afternoon. Assistant Professor Xiao Huina from the Faculty of Law at Macau University of Science and Technology served as the moderator for the panel discussions and presentations. Dr. Robert Korves, Dr. Maximilian Merwald, Dr. Lisa Wolf, Dr. Tobias Manhardt, Dr. Matthias Wachter, and Professor Shen Liu Hua shared their insights on German legal education and legal career development. During the discussion session, Professor Holm Putzke, Assistant Professor Xiao Huina, Assistant Professor Zhou Qin, Assistant Professor Guo Yiting, and the speakers engaged in lively discussions. Finally, Dean Beate Gsell delivered the closing remarks, bringing the seminar to a perfect conclusion.
Group photo of the symposium participants and faculty members
Group photo of attendees