May 25 - 30, 2026
25th Specialization Course in International Criminal Law for Young Penalists
International Criminal Justice, Crimes Against Humanity and Transitional Justice
Join the 25th Specialization Course in International Criminal Law of the Siracusa International Institute: an intensive program focused on international criminal justice, crimes against humanity, and transitional justice, delivered with the support of the Irish Centre for Human Rights (National University of Ireland, Galway), the Department of Law of Middlesex University (UK), and the International Association of Penal Law (AIDP). The course is available in person (in Siracusa) or online (via Zoom) and is aimed at young penalists and legal professionals under 35, with the possibility to attend as an auditor.
Register by the deadline to receive the reduced fee.
May 25 - 30, 2026
25th Specialization Course in International Criminal Law for Young Penalists
The Course
Introduction
The 25th Specialization Course in International Criminal Law for Young Penalists on “International Criminal Justice, Crimes Against Humanity, and Transitional Justice” is organized by the Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights, a leading international center for advanced training and research.
The course is supported by the:
- Irish Centre for Human Rights (NUI Galway);
- Middlesex University Department of Law (UK);
- International Association of Penal Law (AIDP).
The 2026 edition will be held in hybrid format (in person in Siracusa, Italy, and online via Zoom) from May 25 to 30, 2026.
Who the Course Is For
The course is designed for young professionals, researchers and advanced students interested in international criminal justice and transitional justice. Applicants should hold a law degree or equivalent qualifications and be 35 years old or under. Candidates not meeting these criteria may attend as auditors, with full access to the course and a certificate of attendance. Participation is available either in person or online (hybrid format). Admission to the course is subject to selection by an evaluation committee.
Format and Certification
The course runs over six intensive days (approx. 30 hours), with daily sessions from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm CEST, live-streamed and recorded. Participants access all materials via a dedicated e-learning platform. All participants will receive a certificate of attendance at the end of the course. Participants may also choose to take a final optional exam (written and oral, online); those who successfully pass the exam will be awarded the Siracusa Institute Diploma. A prize will be awarded for the best examination result, and two runners-up.
If you have any questions, please contact the Siracusa Institute at icl-course@siracusainstitute.org
Course Topics
1
The Draft Convention on Crimes Against Humanity
2
Victims before International Criminal Courts: Rights, Participation and Reparations
3
Crimes against Humanity in Practice: Enforced Disappearances and Contemporary Situations
4
Evidence, Technology, and International Criminal Justice
5
Cinema and International Justice: The Nuremberg Trial
6
Transitional Justice: Concepts and Approaches
7
Transitional Justice: Contemporary Situations
8
The Effectiveness of International Criminal Law Approaches
9
Current Challenges in International Justice
NB
In addition to lectures, participants will take part in small-group exercises aimed at stimulating interaction and discussion.
Fees and Scholarships
Online
- Access to the platform
- Session recordings
- Course materials
600€
600€
Register by the deadline to receive the reduced fee.
In person
- Access to the platform
- Session recordings
- Course materials
- Six lunches
- One social dinner
1050€
1050€
Register by the deadline to receive the reduced fee.
Scholarships
- Access to the platform (session recordings & course materials)
- Registration fee
- Accommodation for seven nights
- Six lunches and one social dinner
All scholarships for this edition have now been awarded.
* A limited number of scholarships are available for in-person participants from developing or least developed countries (under the age of 35).
All admitted participants, including auditors and scholarship recipients, are required to join the International Association of Penal Law (AIDP) as Young Penalists (annual membership fee: €45).
COURSE DIRECTOR
Prof. William Schabas
Professor of International Law, Middlesex University, School of Law, UK; Professor Emeritus of International Criminal Law and Human Rights, Leiden University, The Netherlands;
Honorary Chairman, Irish Centre for Human Rights, National University of Ireland, Galway.
Professor William A. Schabas is a professor of international law at Middlesex University in London. He is also professor emeritus of international criminal law and human rights at Leiden University and honorary chairman of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Prof. Schabas is a ‘door tenant’ at the chambers of 9 Bedford Row, in London. He is the author of Genocide in International Law and many journal articles dealing with the implementation of the Genocide Convention. He is a past president of the International Association of Genocide Scholars.
Professor Schabas has acted as counsel or as an expert witness in genocide litigation before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and national courts. From 2002 to 2004 Professor Schabas served as one of three international members of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Professor Schabas was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2006. He was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2007. He has been awarded the Vespasian V. Pella Medal for International Criminal Justice of the AIDP and the Gold Medal in the Social Sciences of the Royal Irish Academy.
Speakers
COURSE DIRECTOR
Professor William A. Schabas
Professor of International Law, Middlesex University, School of Law, UK; Professor Emeritus of International Criminal Law and Human Rights, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Honorary Chairman, Irish Centre for Human Rights, National University of Ireland, Galway.
EXPERTS
Francesca Albanese
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian Territories
Amélie Becquart
French Magistrate; Legal Adviser for Cooperation, External Affairs Unit, Office of the Prosecutor.
Olympia Bekou
Professor of Public International Law and Head of the School of Law, University of Nottingham, UK.
Margaret deGuzman
Judge, International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT).
Alessandra De Tommaso
Senior Lecturer in Law; LLM Programme Leader, Middlesex University London, School of Law UK.
Marina Eudes
Professor of Public Law, University of Paris Nanterre.
Shoshana Levy
Specialised assistant in the crimes against humanity and war crimes unit of the Parquet national antiterroriste (National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office)
Yvonne McDermott
Professor, Queen’s University, Belfast.
Leila Sadat
Special Adviser on Crimes Against Humanity to the ICC Prosecutor.
Reina Sfeir
Member of the National Commission for the Enforced Disappeared, Lebanon, Beirut.
Sharon Weill
Associate Professor of International Law, American University of Paris, France; Lecturer and researcher, Sciences Po, France.
Highlights from the Previous Edition
Relive the highlights of the previous edition, which brought together 90 participants from more than 30 countries and 35 universities. Alongside high-level sessions, participants engaged in small-group exercises and shared meaningful moments of exchange and networking. Watch the video and hear directly from those who took part in the last edition about their experience.
F.A.Q
- The course targets mainly recent law graduates, practitioners, academics, and students from across the globe, who are pursuing higher education or careers in the fields of international criminal law and international relations.
- To be eligible for the course, participants should have a university degree in law, or other relevant education and experience.
- Being a course for young penalists, participants should be 35 years of age or under.
- Auditors who do not fulfil the eligibility criteria may also be accepted into the course.
- The working language will be English.
- For in-person participants, attendance is required at all live sessions.
- Missing more than two live sessions will disqualify participants from receiving the certificate of attendance or the Diploma.
- For online participants, watching the recorded video of the sessions qualifies for attendance.
However, at least 5 sessions should be attended live. In any case, attendance at all live sessions is encouraged.
- After the course, participants who wish to receive the Institute’s Diploma can take a final examination with two components: written and oral.
- The written exam is assigned via email on the last day of the course (Saturday) and consists of three questions related to topics discussed during the course. Candidates must answer two of the three questions, in accordance with the word limit and the deadline, usually a couple of days after the assignment. Successful candidates are then invited to take an oral examination.
- The oral exam is held online via Zoom on the following days. It consists of a discussion with an external examiner on the written assignment.
- The exact exam days will be made available closer to the date.
- Successful candidates will be among the Institute’s graduates and eligible for a prize awarded to the person who achieves the best examination result, and two runners-up.
- The final examination is not mandatory.
- All participants attending the course will receive a certificate of attendance.
- A participant may cancel his/her registration at no cost until Friday, 8 May.
- In case of cancellation after Friday, 8 May the Institute will retain 50% of the Registration Costs.
- If a participant in person decides to attend online before Friday, 8 May, the Institute will refund the difference in the Registration Costs.
- If the online component is cancelled because the minimum number of online participants has not been reached, the participant can request a full refund or pay the difference to attend the in-person course.
May 25 - 30, 2026
25th Specialization Course in International Criminal Law for Young Penalists
The Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights | via Logoteta, 27 – Siracusa, Italy | Tax Code 80001810896