VULNERABILITIES AND BORDERS: RIGHT TO ASYLUM IN TIMES OF CRISES

At the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens – Akademias 47

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Bridging Research and Practice:

Legal Clinic 2025 Greece aims to create a dynamic multilayered learning ecosystem that transcends national borders by actively engaging students from the MA program in Human Rights, Security, and Development (DHSD) in legal research and field work.  An action conceived by Valentina Volpe (Director of IELS) and Silvia Bartolini (Head of the LLB programme in European Legal Studies).

Under the direction of Silvia Bartolini, with the invaluable assistance of Sian Donkers (PhD Candidate at Scuola Superiore di Sant’Anna), the clinic’s students were called to explore critical legal issues falling within the framework of the EU immigration and asylum acquis and conduct an in-depth analysis on the intersection between dentetion of migrants and asylum seekers and  fundamental rights protection. Their research in particular touched upon the following issues:

1. The concept of detention
2. Substantive and procedural guarantees in place
3. Alternatives to detention
4. Specific protections afforded to children.

The findings of their research will be presented at an international conference on April 3-4, 2025, at the Faculty of Law of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA).

This project’s success would not have been possible without the steadfast support of Professor Rebecca-Emmanuela Papadopoulou from NKUA’s Law Faculty, who has been a crucial collaborator from the outset.

The conference, co-organized by C3RD, offers a unique platform for students to share their findings and engage in meaningful dialogue with experts and international practitioners in the field of EU law and human rights. These professionals will also participate in the discussions, enriching the experience.

The Legal Clinic 2025 Greece has greatly benefited from the support of key partners, particularly through its close collaboration with European Lawyers in Lesbos (ELIL). ELIL’s involvement has been instrumental to the success of this initiative. As part of this collaboration, ELIL offers three-month internships to all students from the DHSD Master’s program participating in the project, providing invaluable hands-on experience in pro bono legal assistance for asylum seekers.

Additionally, we would like to express our gratitude to Mike Eformidis CEO at  Coco-Mat Greece for his generous contribution in providing accommodations for participants during the Athens conference.

This project aligns with the international development strategy of the Faculty of Law’s International and European Law School (IELS) and exemplifies our faculty’s commitment to training students to become professionals who are not only sensitive to European, international, and humanitarian issues but also equipped with the practical skills necessary to navigate and act within a global framework. In this regard, we would like to express our gratitute to our Dean Sarah Durelle-Marc for her steafast support from the outset!

The success of a project truly depends on the participation and support of a group of people!

This project’s success ineed would not have been possible without the steadfast support of Professor Delphine Pollet-Panoussis and Professor Ioannis Panoussis.

Also a big thank you goes out to Gabriel Zeni Martins and Karl Faye for their patience and precious assistance!

We look forward to our students’ contributions to this important initiative and eagerly anticipate their work’s results at the upcoming Athens conference.

Τα λέμε στην Αθήνα!

The Program

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