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September 3, 2015

GDAE Summer Institute in Transnational Law and Practice Commences at University of Washington

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GDAE LogoThe Global Dominican Academic Exchange Program is excited to bring six Dominican law students to Seattle, Washington, to participate for the first time in the Summer Institute in Transnational Law and Practice at the University of Washington (UW) School of Law, from September 4-18, 2015.

The Global Dominican Academic Exchange Program (GDAE) Summer Institute is a collaborative effort between InteRDom, a program of Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), the University of Washington (UW) School of Law and the Ministry of Higher Education in Science and Technology in the Dominican Republic (MESCyT). The two week program grants the opportunity for Dominican law students to participate in a rigorous certificate program that introduces them to the American and international legal systems through a variety of courses and social and networking activities.

Four of the participating students hail from the public university, Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), and are sponsored by the MESCyT, receiving scholarships for their excellent grades. GFDD gives thanks for the support of Rocio Billini from the UASD, who helped identify and recruit the scholarship candidates. Another student who is attending the private university, Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), won the prestigious scholarship for the Competencia Dominicana de Derecho International (CODOCIJ), a competition on international law run by La Asociación Dominicana de las Naciones Unidas (ANU-RD). The sixth student participating in the program comes from the private university, Universidad Acción Pro-Educación y Cultura (APEC).

Both GDAE and the Summer Institute share a mission to facilitate exchange and multiculturalism, and as a result Dominican participants are joining 80 other law students from around the world who are also participating in the program. Through U.S. law school-style instruction and small-group tutorials, participants familiarize themselves with the foundations of the U.S. legal system and methods of legal analysis practiced in the U.S. Sessions are taught by law faculty, practitioners, and reference librarians who are experienced in cross-cultural communication. In addition to their exposure to American legal education, participants will visit state and federal courts and agencies, visit one of Seattle’s largest law firms, and enjoy social events at the beautiful UW campus and city of Seattle.

This is the first GDAE program at UW and of 2015, which organizes a series of topic-specific events of short (maximum two weeks) duration in collaboration with faculty and Dominican student organizations at a variety of United States universities throughout the year. The InteRDom staff works closely with faculty and student representatives to plan the activities, and then to recruit and bring students from Dominican universities to participate.  Hosting events with different thematic concentrations ensures that diverse groups of Dominican students have the opportunity to participate.

UW_School of Law_LogoThe Summer Institute in Transnational Law and Practice was developed by the University of Washington School of Law — one of the world’s leading centers for innovative teaching and research on international, comparative, and U.S. law. The two week institute is held in early September each year and provides legal professionals and researchers from all over the world a strong foundation in the structure, culture and thinking of the U.S. legal system and practice.

The Global Dominican Academic Exchange program, a project of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and its sister organization in the Dominican Republic, Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), an extension of their internship, research and study program, InteRDom, aims to introduce Dominican students to the American style of liberal arts education and encourage dialogue between Dominican students and their Dominican-American counterparts attending these institutions, thereby encouraging and inspiring partnership and entrepreneurship initiatives which will foster innovation and stimulate Dominican economic development and international understanding.

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