Former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in 2008, that the objective of the CESL Double Masters was to develop "legal professionals familiar with the laws of both China and the West". In order to achieve this goal, CESL offers courses on Chinese and European law which are both extensive and systematic. Professors and scholars come from CESL's 16 partner institutions creating a diverse faculty, open thinking and an international outlook.

The Double Master programme aims to educate well-rounded legal professionals who have a thorough knowledge of both Chinese and European law and are able to work in Chinese and English. This programme is a combination of the two programmes described below, the LL.M./J.M. of Chinese Law programme and the LL.M. of European and International Law programme. The duration of the Double Master programme is six consecutive semesters. Any student of the Double Master programme who completes the academic requirements of the programme and satisfies all graduation requirements will receive both a LL.M./J.M. conferred by CUPL and an LL.M. conferred by UHH.

The EU is China’s largest trading partner, with the increasing economic and trade development between China and Europe, there is a great demand for legal experts who know well of Chinese and European law in the fields of legal service, jurisdiction, legislation and legal research. The Double Master programme of CESL responds to this kind of demand through the combination of the LL.M./J.M. of Chinese Law programme and the LL.M. of European and International Law programme, and aims to train a generation of legal professionals who can take a leading role in the exchanges between China and Europe in the future.

a) Master of Chinese Law

The Master programme of Chinese Law is designed to provide an overview of China's legal framework within the context of post-1978 market reform, including courses in China's legal system. The focus will be to map out the evolutionary process, transitional aspects and future prospects of contemporary Chinese law in a globalised world. The full-time professors for this programme are from CESL/CUPL, while the part-time professors are all outstanding scholars from renowned universities in China and the European Union. Any student of the Master Programme of Chinese Law who completes the academic requirements of the programme and satisfies all graduation requirements will receive a Master Degree in Law conferred by CUPL.

CUPL has rich experience and gains great achievements in training J.M. candidates and Master candidates in Law. Since 1983, there have been approximately 10,000 graduate students specialized in various disciplines graduated from CUPL. The first generation of Master in Law and PhD in Law has been trained in CUPL after the establishment of P.R. China. The Master Programme in Law at CESL includes fields such as: Civil and Commercial Law, Economic Law, Criminal Law, Procedural Law, Constitutional and Administrative Law and Comparative Law. Most of the courses are taught from a strong comparative law perspective. A wide range of them is taught in English.

b) Master of European and International Law

The LL.M. programme of European and International Law is designed to expose students to broad areas of the law from the perspective of European legal history and culture and from the perspective of a globalised world, shedding light on the trend of legal unification while exploring the balance between maintaining existing legal traditions on one hand and promoting legal integration on the other.

Any student of the LL.M. programme of European and International Law who completes the academic requirements of the programme and satisfies all graduation requirements will receive an LL.M. conferred by UHH. This programme strictly follows the requirements of the European Credit Transfer System. CESL has an elaborately designed curriculum and a very diverse and international faculty for the programme. The credits and degree certificate students obtain from this programme are fully recognized in Europe, China and worldwide.

The LL.M. in European and International Law (MEIL programme), as opposed to focusing on the law of one individual nation, is designed to expose students to broad areas of the law, exploring the trend of legal unification and the balance between maintaining existing legal traditions at the same time promoting integration.

Year one

During the first year students take courses from the Master of Chinese Law.

Year two

Students begin their comprehensive studies in European and international law and finish their first master thesis in European and international law.

Year three

Students spend year three completing an internship and writing a Chinse law master's thesis. The thesis should be submitted in April, the viva voce examinations will take place in May/June.

Programme in brief

• Students complete one internship, compulsory and elective courses and write two theses.

• Students achieve fluency in both Chinese and English.

• Scholarships are available for outstanding students.

Programme Benefits

• The programme is taught by eminent academics and practitioners from around the world.

• Students receive both a J.M. or an LL.M. from the China University of Political Science and Law and an LL.M. from the University of Hamburg.

• Courses are taught in a variety of formats, including seminars, lectures, moot trainings and small group classes.

• Language of instruction: English and Chinese.

• Six semesters, starting in September.

• Internationally recognised degree.