Founded by the ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius, Bucerius Law School is a private law school that strives to reform German legal education and aspires to represent the German legal community in the international discourse. In keeping with the views of our benefactor, Gerd Bucerius, the Law School aims to educate outstanding individuals who are willing to place their expertise at society's disposal and to accept responsibility for others.
Bucerius is an academic community of students and faculty in which constructive-critical thinking, creativity, and leadership skills, and a sense of team spirit and openness, are cultivated. Based on the tried and tested German legal education standards, Bucerius Law School wants to realize the best possible education. In its desire to achieve this goal, Bucerius is aware of its responsibility in assisting the harmonization process of the higher education system in Europe.
The students at Bucerius Law School are open-minded young adults who welcome constructive criticism. They develop their talents and abilities in a thoughtful and determined manner. The academic program at Bucerius Law School is characterized by the personal and academic exchange that takes place between faculty and students, as well as by the close collaboration between them. Over the years, a tight, long-lasting bond between the students, graduates, and Law School has developed.
The course of studies is based on a unity of teaching and research and merges the practicing legal community's needs with an academic pervasion of the law. This is evident in the dovetailing of the leading research areas and teaching contents and the inspiration the faculty receives from students during academic discussions, which they later incorporate into their research. Much emphasis is placed on legal practitioners' dialogue, legal foundation courses, foreign legal systems, international discourse, the Studium generale, and solid training in business and economics. A distinct aspect of the course of studies is its international orientation, which is evident in the mandatory semester abroad for all students, the presence of international students from our partner universities located throughout the world, our graduate programs, and our summer school offerings and additional programs abroad. Furthermore, Bucerius Law School offers numerous social activities, ranging from the fine arts, culture, and sports to other social areas. It is through these activities that student initiatives diversify and enrich university life.
Bucerius Law School respects and promotes the free and independent research of the faculty and staff, who appreciate the intradisciplinary cooperation at Bucerius Law School and are open to exchanging ideas. The Law School offers them the freedom to develop their thoughts, which are then further pursued by the university community. Using its network of renowned partner universities, Bucerius Law School supports the exchange of academic ideas at an international level, thereby creating a platform to support worldwide research contacts.
Bucerius professors view personal mentorship and intellectual advancement of their assistant professors, research assistants, and doctoral and post-doctoral students as one of their primary duties. In addition to their research activities, the assistant professors and research assistants' work is influenced by the intense and mutually productive exchange of ideas with the students. Assistant professors and research assistants assume essential teaching duties while having sufficient time at their disposal to pursue their research.
The Law School's management, together with its administration, forms the organizational backbone of Bucerius. Staff members are dedicated to the principles of personal responsibility and team spirit. They ensure that daily campus life functions smoothly by addressing the students, lecturers, and researchers' needs.
The management provides the impulse to achieve the maxims set thus far and acts on the Law School community's impetus. Respecting the individual's confidentiality, the management creates the ideal premises for the participation in and transparency of law school matters. It is responsible for directing the Law School in the manner depicted and is committed to operating within the existing financial parameters.
Donations from private sponsors are a sign of society's confidence in the Law School. The acquisition and maintenance of sponsors is an integral aspect of Bucerius' concept. Being aware of its responsibility to its members, society, and sponsors, the Law School continually explores new means to fulfill an educated society's growing expectations. The Law School is open to the further development of graduate studies and related subjects, and after careful planning and consideration, will expand its programs. In this manner, Bucerius strives to make a lasting contribution to the renewal and retention of continuing university education.
The ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius accompanies Bucerius Law School as its founder, sole shareholder, and largest sponsor, while at the same time allowing the Law School to maintain its academic integrity. Bucerius Law School and the Foundation are allied in their goal towards a blossoming evolution of research and teaching.
This mission statement was drawn up by the Law School members and approvingly acknowledged by the Board of Trustees and the Supervisory Board of the Bucerius Law School. Bucerius Law School's Senate adopted it on July 5, 2006.
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