Center of Ukrainian Law | Vilnius University Faculty of Law

The purpose of the Centre is to bring together scientists and researchers, lecturers and legal practitioners from Ukraine, Lithuania and other countries to carry out activities of science, studies and cooperation in various forms aimed at learning and developing Ukrainian law and its legal system,strengthening the Ukrainian legal community’s relations with lawyers from other countries.

Objectives of the Center:

– to Initiate, organize and carry out research related to the legal system of Ukraine and its separate branches of law, legal research related to the integration of Ukraine into the European Union and the international community, interdisciplinary and comparative research;

– To organize scientific, scientific-practical and educational events and events aimed at establishing institutional, personal and academic contacts;

– To initiate, organize and carry out the teaching of study subjects, courses and modules in Lithuania and Ukraine, to contribute to the implementation of the study programs of the Faculty

– To collect and systematize information on the legal system and legal regulation of Ukraine, material on the conducted research and to provide access to it in accordance with the procedure established by the Faculty

– To foster relations with higher education institutions, legal institutions, research institutions, non-governmental and professional organizations of Ukraine, Lithuania and other countries;

– Carry out and develop services, consultancy and expertise related to Ukrainian law;

– Disseminate achievements nationally and internationally.

History and Activities of the Centre of Ukrainian Law

On the 24^th of February 2022, since Russia started an open aggression against Ukraine, thousands of war refugees arrived to Lithuania, including professors, scholars and students. With the aim of enabling them to continue studies and academic activities, the Centre of Ukrainian Law was established at the Law Faculty of Vilnius University in March 2022. Tens of Ukrainian students have seized this opportunity to continue studies, professors from the Law Faculty of Vilnius University and Ukrainian universities started teaching study courses for them (off-line and on-line). Students from Ukraine continue to study at the Law Faculty and are offered to choose study courses of both, bachelor and master levels (see list of study courses).

In the long run the Centre has expanded forms and types of its activities which encompass the following: cooperation in the field of scientific research, preparation of joint publications, organising scientific events, cooperation with

Ukrainian higher education institutions as well as research and other institutions (scholars), training sessions, etc.

Activities in 2024

International Scientific Events

On the 27th of February 2024 the Centre of Ukrainian Law organised the Panel Discussion “Paving Path to Justice in Ukraine – Overcoming Evidence Collection Challenges in Time of War”, aimed at the progress made in seeking for the accountability of Russia and its individuals for international crimes committed in Ukraine during two years of war (in particular, collecting evidence); scholars and practitioners from Lithuania, Ukraine and the United Kingdom participated (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Indrė Isokaitė-Valužė gave an Introductory Speech and chaired over the discussion, Dr. Kateryna Latysh presented the importance of the digital forensic evidence-gathering in examination of the war crimes in Ukraine).

Ukrainian Law Centre is represented in international scientific conferences:

6 November 2024 presentation “European Commission’s Annual Report on Ukraine: Conclusions and the Assessment from the Lithuanian Perspective” given by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Indrė Isokaitė-Valužė at the international discussion “European Commission‘s Annual Report on Ukraine: Taking Stock and Looking Forward”.
22 June 2024 presentation “The Rule of Law, Pacta Sunt Servanda and Bona Fide in the Context of Russia’s War in Ukraine: What Could International (Treaty) Law Principles Offer Against the Aggressor?” by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Indrė Isokaitė-Valužė was given at the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Principles of Law: Universal and National in the Context of Modern Globalization and European Integration Processes” (on-line), organised by National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in cooperation with other partners in Kyiv, Ukraine.
25 April 2024 presentation “Freedom of Science and Research: Basic Challenges for Human Rights and Institutional Development” was given by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Indrė Isokaitė-Valužė at the International Conference “Global Transformations and Sustainable Development: Cooperation, Science, Education, Technologies”, organised by Simon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics.
5 March 2024 presentation “Beyond the Procedures: Several Aspects of a True Meaning of NATO Membership” was given by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Indrė Isokaitė-Valužė at the International Conference “EU-NATO & Ukrainian Status Quo”, organised by “The Hub of the EU Solutions” (link to the article on the topic of the presentation).

Participation in other scientific events:

17 October 2024 Assoc. Prof. Dr. Indrė Isokaitė-Valužė delivered a presentation on “The European Union and the United Nations: Several aspects on the Security and Reconstruction of Ukraine” at the congress of the Ukrainian Association for European Studies on Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
27 June 2024 Dr. Kateryna Latysh participated in the working group for Ukraine at the SAR Global Congress Scholars at Risk, which was held on the 25-27 of June in Vilnius.
15 May 2024 Dr. Kateryna Latysh participated in the “Researchers at Crisis: A Speaker Series Webinar”, organised by Scholars at Risk and Polish Academy of Sciences.

International Cooperation

Cooperation with researchers of foreign universities has been continued:

Memorandum of Cooperation was signed in the end of October between the VU Law Faculty and the Simon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics, whereby the parties agreed to strengthen the visibility of the Center of Ukrainian Law and to expand its activities.
During the visit in Lviv, Ukraine, 15-18 July 2024, Memorandum on Cooperation between the VU Law Faculty and Faculty of International Relations of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv was signed (the Memorandum focuses on the Ukrainian Law Centre). Cooperation and its development was discussed with the Rector and Vice-Rector of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, the Dean of the Law Faculty, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of International Relations and professors (more information).
12-15 March 2024 the visit of Dr. Tomasz Lachowski, Research Fellow at the Department of International Law and International Relations in the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Lodz, including his lecture on the comparison of soviet crimes and Russia’s crimes in Ukraine and scenarios for a model of justice after the war in Ukraine, was organised.

Lectures for Students of Ukraine

The Head of the Centre of Ukrainian Law gives lectures for Ukrainian students:

29 October and 26 April 2024 lectures on the reinstalling of European values after 1990 and the rule of law in Lviv (Ukraine), in continuous participation in the educational project “EU Study Days”, established by the European Union Delegation to Ukraine.
5 April 2024 lecture “NATO in Changing Architecture of International Peace and Security” (upon invitation by the students’ trade union of the Faculty of International Relations of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, on-line).

Training sessions

10 May 2024 training session for the members of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine were organised: lecture by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Indrė Isokaitė-Valužė “European Union Law, International Law and National Law: Coherence, Contradiction, Compliance” (on-line) (in cooperation with the Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine under the Memorandum of Cooperation signed by the VU Law Faculty in Spring; lectures were also given by Prof. Dr. Tomas Davulis and Dr. Lauras Butkevičius).
9 May 2024 trainings for scholars of Ukraine: a lecture by Dr. Kateryna Latysh “Strategies for Finding and Attracting Funding for Academic Research Projects. Personal Experience in the MSCA4Ukraine Program” (on-line).

Other Activities

Article about the Ukrainian Law Centre in “Mokslo Lietuva”, Issue No 14(745) 2024.
Research of the law of Ukraine and international law
Dr. Indrė Isokaitė-Valužė is researching Ukraine-related issues of international law in presentations, articles and comments, Dr. Kateryna Latysh continuous research and presents the topic of (digital) forensics in the framework of international crimes of Russia in Ukraine (under the project won by Vilnius University, grant awarded by the European Commission Program “MSCA4Ukraine”).

Activities in 2022-2023

In the first years upon establishment the Centre of Ukrainian Law mainly focused on ensuring access to education for the students who arrived from Ukraine and providing opportunities to the professors and scholars of the Ukrainian universities to teach as well as to conduct scientific research (including in cooperation with the researchers of the Law Faculty of Vilnius University).

A collective monograph “The Challenges and Opportunities in Law: Ukrainian Case under the Conditions of War” was published by a recognised publisher in 2023.

Cooperation with Ukrainian research and education institutions and their scholars has been developed.

Courses for Ukrainian Students who Continue their Studies at Vilnius University

Bachelor Studies

1st Year

Civil Law in Ukraine. General Part

Constitutional Law of Ukraine

Global Law and Legal Ethics

Introduction to Public Law of Lithuania

Roman Private Law

2nd Year

Civil Law in Ukraine. Property Law