From the 2025/26 winter semester onwards, the Helga Pedersen Moot Court Competition (HPMCC) will be supervised by Prof. Dr Schwerdtfeger’s team. The HPMCC is an annual, Europe-wide student competition in the area of European human rights protection.

It is organised by the Council of Europe and the European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) and is based on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as well as the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Participating teams take on the roles of applicants (complainants) and respondents (governments) in a simulated case addressing current human rights issues. A written stage (submission of memorials) is followed by an oral stage with regional preliminary rounds, leading up to a final at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, where the jury usually includes judges from the Court.

The HPMCC offers a unique opportunity to promote awareness of human rights, develop skills in legal argumentation and litigation, and bring together students from across Europe.

The 2025/26 Helga Pedersen Moot Court season has officially begun, and Freie Universität Berlin will be taking part with a promising team:

It consists of Tim Hoppe, Helena Krupa, Estella Neumayr and Caspar Oesterling, as well as coaches Julian Schramm and Greta Steinkampf.

Following a successful performance at the Regional Rounds in Athens (Greece) in March 2026, the team has qualified for the Final Oral Round in Strasbourg (France) in June 2026. At the Council of Europe’s premises, the team from Freie Universität will compete for the title as one of the top 18 teams from across Europe.

The team and the department would like to express their sincere thanks to the sponsors, whose generous support has made it possible for them to take part in the competition: