Taking the Middle Road to IOLE in Uruguay

Abstract

When considering the need for legal education and programmes to cover foreign jurisdictions in Uruguay, we must first focus on the meaning behind the phrase ‘internationalisation’. This concept can be understood as the study of existing ties between Uruguayan law and the law of other countries, with knowledge of the latter of great interest in order to better comprehend the former. In this light, it is evident that there is a need for the ‘internationalisation’ of Uruguayan law programmes. On the other hand, in a more simplistic view, it could be understood that the Uruguayan programmes are today somewhat ‘internationalised’, as courses such as International Private Law and International Public Law are taught as part of the curriculum. However, although attention may be paid to international doctrine, and reference may be made to foreign law, such studies do not represent an in-depth analysis of other legal systems. There is a perceived and recognized added value attached to a lawyer who is knowledgeable of other legal systems. Therefore, in order to obtain a competitive advantage, be it at a national or international level, it is important that the course curriculums offered in include the study of other judicial systems. However, Uruguay is still not prepared for a global understanding of legal and ethical issues, but we should start heading towards it. Following this track, we should not completely forget the national and insular roots that forged each country, culture and region. The adequate balance of the particular and global legal and ethical issues in the next 10 years is one of the most important challenges in the times to come.