From 1 May, the Graduate Institute’s Centre for Trade and Economic Integration began leading a new research programme entitled DISSETTLE. Short for “Dispute Settlement in Trade: Training in Law and Economics”, DISSETTLE is a programme for PhD researchers designed to train a new cohort of economic and legal experts to work together in formulating trade policy and settling international trade disputes.

Made possible by a substantial grant from the European Commission through its Marie Curie Initial Training Network, 20-25 researchers will be engaged to research topics related to dispute settlement in trade such as arbitration, subsidies, competitiveness and other areas. In parallel, a training programme will comprise summer schools, international conferences, workshops and training sessions.

The Graduate Institute will take the lead role of the five partner institutions involved. The partner schools collaborating are the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bocconi University in Milan, the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, and the University of Warsaw. Each partner will engage up to five researchers who will conduct research as part of their PhD thesis.

Joost Pauwelyn, Professor of International Law and co-Director of the Graduate Institute’s Centre for Trade and Economic Integration, is the project coordinator and Dr Theresa Carpenter, Executive Director of the Centre, is the project manager.

“This is an exciting development for our research Centre. It is innovative in terms of interdisciplinary work and will boost cooperation between lawyers and economists", Theresa Carpenter said.

Typical of projects funded by the Marie Curie Initial Training Network, the programme will have a number of associate partners from the private and public sectors. Associate partners from the private sector include the law firms Sidley Austin, King & Spalding, White & Case and others. The partners participate in conferences and on the programme’s advisory board in addition to providing guidance and internship opportunities to researchers involved in DISSETTLE.

Researchers participating in the project receive allowances for living, mobility, travel and more. Prospective PhD candidates at the Graduate Institute wishing to apply should contact the Centre for Trade and Economic Integration for more information.

The Graduate Institute’s Centre for Trade and Economic Integration brings together the research activities of eminent professors of economics, law and political science in trade, economic integration and globalisation.

Joost Pauwelyn has been Professor of International Law at the Institute since 2007. His teaching and research focus on international economic law, in particular trade and investment.