In the agreement, the schools will develop joint research projects, joint conferences, faculty exchanges and practice opportunities for students.

Cultural exchange

Philip McConnaughay, Dean of Dickinson Law School, told Middle East news agency Albawaba that the opportunity for a cross cultural exchange of knowledge and expertise is promising: ‘The work of the Dubai Judicial Institute to educate and train judges and lawyers complements Penn State Law’s initiatives at the forefront of transnational legal research and education. We believe both the Institute and the Law School will benefit immensely from this relationship.’

Dr Al Sumaiti, Director General of DJI said that the agreement supports the long-term objectives of the Dubai Judicial Institute. ‘Our emphasis to date has been on building a culture of excellence in the development of our law programs and training while encouraging research and facilitating the sharing and exchange of resources under best international practices,’ he said.