PhD
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in International Trade Law
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in International Trade Law at the College of International Justice (CI Justice) represents the apex of academic, jurisprudential, and professional specialization in cross-border commercial, investment, and arbitral law. It is eng...
Duration3 Years
Credit hours90
DegreePhD
Language of studyArabic
Terms6
About the program
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in International Trade Law at the College of International Justice (CI Justice) represents the apex of academic, jurisprudential, and professional specialization in cross-border commercial, investment, and arbitral law. It is engineered to prepare an elite cadre of international commercial jurists, scholars, presiding international arbitrators, and senior strategic counsels capable of producing original, groundbreaking legal research that advances the global Lex Mercatoria and resolves complex transnational contractual, financial, and investment dilemmas. The programme is delivered by a distinguished international faculty carefully selected following the review of over 10,000 academic CVs from all countries of the world, ensuring educational excellence and rich comparative legal diversity.Spanning three academic years (6 semesters), the programme follows a rigorous, structured progression. Candidates complete 9 advanced doctoral courses (36 credit hours) across the first three semesters: 4 compulsory courses in the First Semester (commencing strictly with Advanced Philosophical Research Methodology & Economic Analysis of Commercial Law), 4 specialized courses in the Second Semester, and 1 culminating course in the Third Semester accompanied by the Comprehensive Doctoral Examination. Upon passing the Comprehensive Exam, candidates transition in Semesters 4, 5, and 6 to concurrent completion of Practical & Academic Application (1, 2, 3) and Doctoral Dissertation (1, 2, 3), concluding with a public Viva Voce defense before an expert Jury Committee.
Vision
To stand as the premier global academic, jurisprudential, and arbitral benchmark in graduating international trade law scholars and jurists who drive international legislative and contractual innovation and uphold commercial justice and global investment protection through pioneering scientific research.
Mission
To provide a world-class research and academic ecosystem that integrates comparative philosophical depth, methodological rigor, and intelligent educational flexibility (Open, Virtual, and Blended Learning), empowering scholars to formulate original legal theories and contractual solutions that bridge international commercial gaps while supplying universities, international arbitration centers, global economic organizations, and multinational corporations with exceptional intellectual and legal leadership.
Objectives
- Original Knowledge Production & Innovation: Empower candidates to critique existing commercial legal paradigms and formulate novel doctrinal, legislative, and contractual frameworks addressing gaps in international trade and investment law.
- Mastery of Philosophical, Comparative & Economic Methodology: Deepen scholars' command of advanced legal research methodologies and the Economic Analysis of Law (Law and Economics) to deconstruct complex international judicial and arbitral precedents.
- Leadership in International Commercial & Investment Arbitration: Qualify senior experts and international arbitrators capable of presiding over arbitral tribunals (ICC, ICSID, LCIA, UNCITRAL) and drafting authoritative arbitral awards.
- University Professorial Preparation: Prepare university professors and international lecturers skilled in academic delivery, curriculum design, and commercial legal knowledge transfer through three dedicated Practical Application semesters.
- Foresight in Emerging Digital & Sustainable Trade Frontiers: Build scholarly capacity to regulate digital trade, smart contracts, Financial Technology (FinTech), digital currencies, and sustainable green trade (ESG).
Educational philosophy
The College of International Justice adopts the philosophy of "Directed Research Autonomy and Comparative Legal Engineering for Global Business" at the doctoral level, resting on the following pillars:Three Flexible Learning Modalities: Candidates select the learning method best suited to their commitments among Open Learning, Virtual Learning, and Blended Learning, with options to accelerate studies after the first semester based on cumulative GPA or utilize summer semesters.Sequential Research Seminars: Each of the 9 courses carries 4 credit hours and is studied sequentially for a minimum of four weeks via intensive research seminars relying on authoritative treatises, international conventions, and arbitral awards, followed by a competency test before progressing to the next module.The Comprehensive Examination Milestone: Held in the third semester to verify holistic mastery of international trade law and research methodology prior to dissertation candidacy.Integration of Dissertation & Academic Practice: Across Semesters 4, 5, and 6, candidates simultaneously write their doctoral dissertation under close supervision and complete virtual university teaching and workplace practice portfolios.
Learning outcomes
- Exhibit encyclopedic and profound mastery of the philosophy of international trade law, the evolution of the New Lex Mercatoria, and multilateral trade and investment conventions.
- Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of international commercial and investment arbitral jurisprudence (ICC, ICSID, UNCITRAL) and emerging global regulatory trends in capital markets and digital commerce.
- Exercise original doctrinal critique and deconstruct complex treaty provisions, cross-border contractual clauses, and conflicting arbitral awards using rigorous legal and economic methodology.
- Deduce innovative legal theories, contractual frameworks, and regulatory norms to address emerging transnational commercial, investment, and technological disputes.
- Lead legal research and advisory teams, engineer complex international commercial contracts, and draft authoritative arbitral awards and sovereign defense memorials.
- Master advanced university-level teaching and curriculum design, and author an original doctoral dissertation meeting the highest standards of peer-reviewed international scholarly publishing.
- Command authoritative legal argumentation, intellectual and academic leadership, complex international commercial negotiation, and rigorous cross-cultural scholarly communication.
Career prospects
- Academia and Higher Education: Serving as University Professors, Chairs of Commercial Law Departments, and Deans of Faculties of Law at prestigious international universities.
- International Commercial & Investment Arbitration Centers: Serving as Presiding Arbitrators or Co-Arbitrators in major arbitral institutions (ICSID, ICC, LCIA, DIAC) and acting as senior legal experts in sovereign and cross-border disputes.
- International Economic & Trade Organizations: Serving as Senior Legal Counsel or Policy Advisors within the World Trade Organization (WTO), UNCITRAL, UNIDROIT, the World Bank Group, and the IMF.
- Multinational Corporations & Global Financial Institutions: Assuming executive roles as General Counsel / Chief Legal Officer (CLO) in multinational enterprises, international investment banks, and sovereign wealth funds.
- Supreme Commercial Judiciary & Legislative Policymaking: Serving as judges in supreme commercial and economic courts, and chairing national and international legislative drafting committees for trade, investment, and arbitration laws.
Curriculum
Advanced Philosophical Research Methodology & Economic Analysis of Commercial Law 4 credit hours · DITL701Philosophy of International Trade Law & Evolution of the New Lex Mercatoria 4 credit hours · DITL702Advanced Legal Engineering of Complex International Commercial Contracts 4 credit hours · DITL703Jurisprudence of International Arbitral Tribunals & Complexities of Jurisdiction and Enforcement 4 credit hours · DITL704
International Foreign Investment Law & Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) 4 credit hours · DITL705Legal Regime of the WTO, Regional Economic Blocs & International Sanctions 4 credit hours · DITL706Digital Commercial Law, Financial Technology (FinTech) & Smart Contracts 4 credit hours · DITL707Multinational Corporate Governance, Cross-Border Insolvency & Sustainable Trade (ESG) 4 credit hours · DITL708
Frequently asked questions
Is the College of International Justice officially licensed and accredited to award the PhD in International Trade Law?
Without a doubt. CI Justice is fully accredited and shares its institutional and academic accreditations with International Suleiman University. Furthermore, the College is officially licensed by the UK Government to operate under classifications: 85421 (First-degree level higher education), 85422 (Post-graduate level higher education), 85600 (Educational support services), and 69109 (Activities of patent and copyright agents; other legal activities not elsewhere classified), holding official authority to provide academic programmes under verified registration ID: 10093951.
How was the academic faculty supervising the programme selected, and how are candidates guided in choosing their track?
Our academic staff was carefully selected through reviews of the CVs of more than 10,000 academics from all countries of the world, ensuring excellence in the educational process and enhancing cultural diversity. Our Guidance and Academic Center communicates with prospective students to provide full details, and within our initial admission system, we provide an intelligent tool that helps candidates choose the most suitable programme by answering questionnaire questions designed with data-driven paths, complemented by future-ready tools designed by practicing market experts.
What forms of flexibility exist regarding learning methods, study duration, tuition fees, and scholarships?
Flexibility comes in many forms across the programme:Learning Methods: Students can find the learning method that suits them best among the three methods we provide: (Open Learning, Virtual Learning, and Blended Learning).Study Acceleration: After the first semester, based on their cumulative GPA, students can accelerate their study period by registering for a greater number of credits or taking an additional summer semester.Tuition Fees & Scholarships: If a student achieves a high cumulative average, they can obtain partial scholarships of up to 90% of tuition fees. Additionally, selected students from war and crisis countries may be granted a 100% full scholarship
How are coursework, the Comprehensive Exam, Practical Application, and the Dissertation defense conducted?
The programme spans 6 semesters (3 years):Candidates complete 9 courses (36 credits) in the first three semesters via sequential research seminars (4 credits and min. 4 weeks per course followed by a competency test), sitting for the Comprehensive Exam in Semester 3.In Semesters 4, 5, and 6, candidates concurrently undertake Practical Application (1, 2, 3) (dividing an assigned undergraduate course into 12–14 lectures presented as Word summaries and 10–20 minute voice-over PowerPoint videos, plus workplace practice reports through our partnerships with major companies internationally) and Doctoral Dissertation (1, 2, 3).The supervisor submits semi-annual reports and a final validity report evaluating the student's performance out of 140 marks, proposing the Jury Committee (valid for 6 months, renewable). Each of the three Jury members submits an individual report grading the dissertation out of 100 marks. The candidate may only proceed to the defense after obtaining at least 70% in both the supervisor's evaluation and the individual Jury reports, at least 15 days after committee approval, concluding with a signed collective post-dissertation report out of 100 marks.
Can prior university studies or professional qualifications be transferred? What support ecosystem is provided?
Yes. Through our Transfer of Accreditation process, both previous postgraduate university studies and a wide range of recognized professional qualifications can be counted toward this qualification—saving you time and money by reducing the number of units you need to study. Throughout your studies, you are supported by:A Personal Tutor for each unit: Guiding you, evaluating assignments, and providing detailed feedback.Our e-Library & High-Quality Resources: Access to university libraries, course texts, podcasts, interactive media, and weekly study planners.Student Support Teams & Online Help Centre: Educational groups, community forums, free Microsoft Office 365, and full IT support from our Computing Help Center.
Admission requirements
- Academic Qualification: Hold a Master's degree in International Trade Law, Commercial Law, Private/Public Law, or a closely related discipline from a recognized university.
- Guidance & Initial Admission Tool: The Guidance and Academic Center communicates with prospective candidates and provides a data-driven questionnaire tool within the initial admission system to help scholars select their optimal specialization pathway.
- Transfer of Accreditation: Prior postgraduate university studies or recognized high-level professional qualifications (in law, international arbitration, or commerce) may be evaluated and credited toward the programme, saving time and tuition costs.
- Language & Research Readiness: Advanced proficiency in the language of study (Arabic or English) and submission of an initial Doctoral Research Concept Note.
Tuition & fees
Application fee$145.00
Start your academic journey today
Submit your application now and our admissions team will contact you to complete the process.
Apply to this programAdvanced Philosophical Research Methodology & Economic Analysis of Commercial Law
DITL701 4 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: Serving as the mandatory foundational cornerstone and the very first course for doctoral candidates in International Trade Law, this module elevates scholars from traditional legal research methods to legal epistemology and the Economic Analysis of Law (Law & Economics). The course delves into complex doctoral-level research methodologies, encompassing philosophical doctrinal analysis, cross-jurisdictional comparative methodology (bridging Civil Law, Anglo-Saxon Common Law, and transnational Lex Mercatoria), and empirical qualitative and quantitative assessment of the economic efficiency of commercial and contractual norms. Candidates receive rigorous training in identifying genuine scholarly, legislative, and contractual research gaps within global business law, formulating multi-layered research problems, and constructing testable hypotheses. Furthermore, the course emphasizes systematic deconstruction of international arbitral awards (ICC, ICSID, LCIA) and WTO Dispute Settlement rulings. The module culminates in intensive practical training on engineering a comprehensive Doctoral Dissertation Prospectus, managing multilingual bibliographic databases, and adhering to the highest standards of academic integrity and peer-reviewed international publishing (Scopus / Web of Science), delivered through intensive research seminars.
Philosophy of International Trade Law & Evolution of the New Lex Mercatoria
DITL702 4 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: This compulsory doctoral course centers on a profound philosophical and critical investigation of the theoretical foundations and governing sources of International Trade Law as a distinct Transnational Legal Order. Transcending domestic positivist rules, the curriculum engages with the global jurisprudential debate regarding the autonomous legal nature of the New Lex Mercatoria and its viability as an anational legal system deriving binding force from established international commercial usages, the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts, standard form contracts, and arbitral jurisprudence independent of state sovereignty. Doctoral researchers critically analyze the dialectical tension between the global harmonization and unification of trade law (spearheaded by UNCITRAL, UNIDROIT, and the ICC) and overriding mandatory national rules (Lois de Police) and economic public policy. Through intensive research seminars, the course cultivates independent jurisprudential reasoning to evaluate transnational legal evolution and formulate original theoretical paradigms.
Advanced Legal Engineering of Complex International Commercial Contracts
DITL703 4 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: This doctoral module provides an anatomical, in-depth examination of the contractual architecture governing complex cross-border commercial, industrial, and engineering transactions. Scholars engage in comparative doctrinal and jurisprudential analysis of intricate issues in Long-Term International Contracts, encompassing major international construction and infrastructure agreements (modern FIDIC forms), upstream/downstream energy and production-sharing contracts, technology transfer and IP licensing agreements, and International Joint Ventures. At the doctoral level, the course deconstructs competing theories of contractual equilibrium, cross-border risk allocation, and critical clauses including Stabilization Clauses, Hardship and Renegotiation/Adaptation Clauses, Force Majeure provisions amidst global crises, pandemics, and economic sanctions, as well as limitation of liability and liquidated damages clauses. Candidates also examine the interplay between the CISG and comparative legal systems through intensive research seminars.
Jurisprudence of International Arbitral Tribunals & Complexities of Jurisdiction and Enforcement
DITL704 4 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: This compulsory doctoral course addresses the most intricate doctrinal and procedural challenges in contemporary international commercial arbitration jurisprudence. Moving beyond foundational procedure, the curriculum explores the Delocalization Theory of arbitration, the extension of arbitration agreements to Non-Signatories within corporate groups and state entities, and complex multi-party and multi-contract arbitrations. Doctoral researchers deeply analyze jurisdictional conflicts between arbitral tribunals and national courts, Anti-Suit and Anti-Arbitration Injunctions, Emergency Arbitrator powers, and the rise of Third-Party Funding (TPF) along with its ethical and conflict-of-interest implications. Furthermore, the module deconstructs contemporary controversies surrounding the annulment of awards and the cross-border enforcement of awards set aside at the seat of arbitration under the 1958 New York Convention, alongside the doctrine of Transnational Public Policy, delivered through critical research seminars.
International Foreign Investment Law & Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS)
DITL705 4 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: This doctoral module delves into the treaty-based, substantive, and procedural architecture of International Investment Law and Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS). Researchers deeply analyze new-generation Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) and investment chapters in mega-regional Free Trade Agreements, alongside the jurisprudential evolution of substantive protection standards (Fair and Equitable Treatment, legitimate expectations, Full Protection and Security, and indirect/regulatory expropriation). The course critically examines the "legitimacy crisis" in investment arbitration before ICSID and UNCITRAL tribunals, analyzing the 2022 amended ICSID Arbitration Rules, UNCITRAL Working Group III reform deliberations, and proposals for a standing Multilateral Investment Court. Additionally, scholars investigate host states' sovereign defenses and State Counterclaims grounded in human rights, environmental protection, and anti-corruption obligations through intensive research seminars.
Legal Regime of the WTO, Regional Economic Blocs & International Sanctions
DITL706 4 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: This course delivers an architectural and critical study of the multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization (WTO) and major regional economic integration agreements. Doctoral scholars investigate existential challenges facing the WTO, the paralysis of the Appellate Body and multi-party interim appeal arbitration arrangements (MPIA), and complex legal disputes under the GATT, GATS, Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM), and Anti-Dumping agreements. Furthermore, the module delves deeply into the escalating legal tension between trade liberalization rules and National Security Exceptions (GATT Article XXI), trade wars, and the imposition of Unilateral and Secondary Economic Sanctions, analyzing their profound legal repercussions on international commercial contracts, banking compliance, and global supply chains through rigorous research seminars.
Digital Commercial Law, Financial Technology (FinTech) & Smart Contracts
DITL707 4 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: This cutting-edge doctoral module explores the frontiers of International Trade Law in the era of the digital economy and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, addressing the legal and regulatory complexities of Blockchain technology, self-executing Smart Contracts, and Artificial Intelligence in cross-border commercial transactions. Scholars deeply analyze the legal regulation of Financial Technology (FinTech), Decentralized Finance (DeFi), crypto-assets, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), and the digitization of negotiable instruments, bills of lading, and documentary credits under the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR). Additionally, the course deconstructs conflict-of-laws and jurisdictional challenges in decentralized networks, blockchain-based dispute resolution, and cross-border commercial data flows and IP protection—opening pioneering avenues for doctoral research.
Multinational Corporate Governance, Cross-Border Insolvency & Sustainable Trade (ESG)
DITL708 4 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: This course examines the legal and regulatory architecture of Multinational Enterprises (MNEs), cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), parent company liability for subsidiary operations, and piercing the corporate veil in transnational litigation. Secondly, the module delves into the intricate legal regime of Cross-Border Commercial Insolvency under the UNCITRAL Model Laws, analyzing the Center of Main Interests (COMI) doctrine and cross-jurisdictional judicial coordination over distressed corporate assets. Thirdly, the course addresses the mandatory global shift toward Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) compliance, mandatory corporate sustainability due diligence legislation across global supply chains, Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM), green finance, and corporate legal accountability for transboundary environmental harm.
International Trade Legislative Policies & Comparative Unification of Private Law
DITL709 4 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: Serving as the culminating coursework module prior to the dissertation phase, this course focuses on high-level legislative engineering for the unification and harmonization of commercial and private law at international and domestic levels. Scholars deeply examine the technical and political mechanisms of international commercial lawmaking through uniform conventions, Model Laws, legislative guides, and uniform contractual rules promulgated by UNCITRAL, UNIDROIT, the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), and the ICC. Candidates train in drafting and modernizing national legislation governing commerce, foreign investment, arbitration, corporations, and international taxation (including Double Taxation Treaties and OECD BEPS frameworks) to align with global benchmarks while safeguarding national economic interests, alongside conducting Regulatory and Economic Impact Assessments (RIA).
Comprehensive Doctoral Examination in International Trade Law
DITL710 0 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: Administered at the conclusion of the third semester upon successful completion of all nine coursework modules (36 credit hours), the Comprehensive Doctoral Examination (written and oral) assesses the scholar's holistic and profound mastery of the philosophical foundations, doctrinal theories, and substantive and procedural rules of International Trade Law, complex commercial contracts, international investment law, commercial/investment arbitration, and conflict of laws. Rather than testing rote memorization, this rigorous examination confronts the doctoral student with multi-layered cross-border commercial, investment, and arbitral problems requiring precise legal characterization, rebuttal of competing arguments, invocation of arbitral and judicial precedents, and formulation of doctrinally sound solutions. Passing the Comprehensive Examination is a mandatory prerequisite for advancing to formal "PhD Candidate" status and commencing the Doctoral Dissertation and Practical Application modules in the fourth semester.
Practical & Academic Application (1)
DITL711 6 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: Initiated in the fourth semester, this module marks the first phase of advanced practical and academic training designed to prepare the doctoral candidate as a university professor and practicing international trade law and arbitration expert. The College assigns the candidate an undergraduate academic course (alongside an applied commercial/arbitral portfolio leveraged through the College's extensive partnerships with major corporations, law firms, and arbitration centers across multiple countries). In this first part, the candidate designs a comprehensive syllabus and structures the first sequence of concise academic lectures. For each lecture, the candidate authors a rigorous written scholarly summary (Word format), accompanied by a professional voice-over video presentation (PowerPoint) lasting accurately between 10 and 20 minutes, alongside submitting a detailed report on their workplace legal practice—honing their university teaching and knowledge-transfer competencies.
Doctoral Dissertation (1): Theoretical & Methodological Grounding
DITL712 12 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: This module marks the formal commencement of the Doctoral Dissertation, undertaken concurrently with Practical Application (1) following the Comprehensive Examination. Working under the direct supervision of a senior faculty professor specializing in International Trade Law, the candidate completes the official registration of the dissertation topic with the Faculty and University Councils. Research in this semester centers on conducting an exhaustive, multilingual literature, treaty, and arbitral jurisprudence review, refining the core research problem and hypotheses, and drafting the foundational first part/chapters of the dissertation dedicated to philosophical, historical, and conceptual grounding. The academic supervisor closely monitors the candidate's methodological rigor and submits a semi-annual progress report detailing accomplishments and adherence to doctoral standards.
Practical & Academic Application (2)
DITL713 6 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: In the fifth semester, the doctoral candidate advances to the second phase of academic and professional training. The candidate develops and records the second sequence of lectures for the assigned undergraduate course, focusing on integrating applied commercial case studies, international contract templates, and arbitral awards into both the written scholarly summaries (Word) and interactive video presentations (PowerPoint, 10–20 minutes per lecture). Additionally, the candidate trains in designing academic assessment instruments (hypothetical commercial/arbitration problems, contract-drafting exercises, and grading rubrics), co-moderating virtual seminars (Webinars), and submitting detailed workplace practice reports—solidifying their readiness as a university faculty member and senior international trade counsel.
Doctoral Dissertation (2): In-Depth Comparative Jurisprudential, Contractual & Arbitral Analysis
DITL714 12 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: Representing the analytical and critical core of the Doctoral Dissertation, this fifth-semester module transitions the candidate from theoretical grounding to in-depth comparative jurisprudential, legislative, contractual, and arbitral analysis (the main substantive chapters of the dissertation). The candidate rigorously tests their research hypotheses by deconstructing trade and investment treaty provisions, comparing legal solutions across Civil Law, Common Law, and uniform trade rules, and analyzing pertinent case studies and arbitral precedents from major institutions (ICC, ICSID, LCIA). At this stage, the scholar's independent academic voice must emerge prominently—critiquing prevailing doctrines, advancing original legal and economic arguments, and deducing novel contractual or legislative models that resolve the core research problem. The supervisor continuously reviews the manuscript to ensure analytical depth and originality, submitting the semi-annual progress report to the Faculty Council.
Practical & Academic Application (3)
DITL715 6 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: Concluding the practical and academic training track in the sixth semester, the candidate completes the final sequence of written summaries and video lectures for the assigned undergraduate course, yielding a complete, peer-reviewed instructional portfolio (12 to 14 model lectures in Word and PowerPoint Video formats) ready for university delivery. Furthermore, the candidate culminates this track by authoring a publishable scholarly paper derived from their research or delivering a comprehensive Doctoral Colloquium / Masterclass before faculty and peers, alongside submitting their final detailed workplace practice report—demonstrating full readiness for professorial appointments or senior international commercial and arbitral leadership upon graduation.
Doctoral Dissertation (3): Conclusions, Final Drafting & Public Defense
DITL716 12 credit hours Advanced
•Academic Description: This module represents the final culmination and public defense of the Doctoral Dissertation. The candidate drafts the concluding chapters, synthesizes verified research findings, formulates actionable legislative recommendations or innovative contractual and arbitral frameworks, and completes comprehensive linguistic and methodological editing of the final manuscript. Upon the supervisor's final review confirming fulfillment of statutory duration and originality standards, the supervisor submits a formal readiness report to the university administration (evaluating the candidate's performance out of 140 marks), accompanied by a signed copy of the dissertation and proposed names for the examining Jury Committee for Faculty Council approval. Following individual written evaluations by the three Jury members (out of 100 marks each—requiring a minimum score of 70% in both the supervisor's evaluation and individual Jury reports, and a minimum 15-day interval after committee approval), the candidate defends the dissertation in a Public Viva Voce Defense, concluding with a signed collective Jury report (out of 100 marks) conferring the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in International Trade Law.