Description du projet :

The China-Europe School of Law (CESL) [formerly Europe-China School of Law] originates in connection with the “reform and open door policy” launched by the Chinese government, and its efforts for establishing a society based on the rule of law. The extension and complexity of legislative reforms, the overall modernization of the machinery of justice and the interaction with the international community highlighted the increasing need for institutions devoted to high quality legal training, and particularly for training including European law components. The European financial support to its establishment has been formalized with a Financing Decision of 18.2 M EUR taken in July 2006, with the related Financing Agreement of January 2006, and with the signature of a grant contract lasting five years with a consortium of European and Chinese universities. Project activities started in January 2008, and the opening ceremony of CESL took place in October 2008.

According to the Financing Agreement, the action was aimed at supporting and facilitating exchanges, cooperation and better understanding in the field of professional legal education. The establishment of CESL is seen as step towards a significant improvement of the knowledge, skills and performance of the Chinese legal profession in relation to European and international law and legal systems, considered as a key factor in supporting the transition process and the sustainability of legal, social and economic reforms. The action is at the same time meant to serve as a platform for European scholars and students to observe and better understand legal reform and progress in China.

The overall objectives of the mid-term evaluation of China-EU School of Law are : (i) to provide the decision-makers in the European Union and the Government of China with an overall independent assessment about the performance of the project. ; (ii) to improve the design and the impact of the European Union’s managed external assistance programmes, by strengthening the Union’s ability to draw on lessons learnt from the past and ongoing interventions for future planning, programming and project identification.

Services rendus :

The mid term evaluation of this higher education project aimed at:

• Assessing the achievements of the project with regard to relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of the various interventions:
  • Training on judges and prosecutors; Career development of Master graduates, beneficiary’s ownership;
  • Assess the implementation of CESL grant contract in its relation to achieve the objectives of the CESL Financing Agreement;
  • Assess project management of the Grantee and operational implementation of the Grant contract;
  • Assess how gender, equal opportunities and human rights are mainstreamed.

• Assessing the feasibility and propose ideas for obtaining higher level of independence of CESL, determining the mission and mandate that CESL can take in the Chinese context (autonomy in course, programme, training and research design, and the strategy to attract and maintain long-term professors);
• Assessing the need of and propose ideas for continued cooperation between EU and the CESL after the end of the project.