Transnational crime and terrorism course goes global

Tuesday, 1 July 2003

A University of Adelaide course in Transnational Crime and Terrorism has taken off on a global scale attracting interest in Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, the United States, Thailand, and across Australia.

And to further enhance the program, the United Nations Office for Drug Control in Bangkok will this month run an advertising campaign to promote the course throughout the Asia Pacific region.

Dr Andreas Schloenhardt, a University of Adelaide law lecturer, developer and teacher of this course, says he is already working on the 2004 schedule for the course.

"The interest in the Transnational Crime and Terrorism course has been quite overwhelming," he says. "Based on our success, I am confident of delivering the program in many more countries."

"The phenomena of terrorism and transnational crime are the most significant problems of contemporary criminal justice. In many nations, such as Australia, transnational crime and terrorism have emerged as key issues of national politics, international relations, defence, law enforcement, and immigration policies.

"The lack of comprehensive and profound knowledge is a principle obstacle in combating transnational crime and terrorism more effectively. One of the most immediate responses to growing levels of criminal and terrorist activities around the world must be the collection of information and intelligence on the causes of transnational crime and terrorism, the situation of victims, and the structure and operations of terrorist and criminal organisations. This is where academic research and teaching and this course in particular have an important role to play," Dr Schloenhardt says.

The course is concerned with the criminology of transnational crime and terrorism, and national, regional and international efforts to investigate such crime and prosecute offenders.

It examines the opportunities and limitations of international conventions on the prevention of crime, Australia's experiences with terrorism and transnational crime and its efforts to fight these activities.

"The method of teaching is interactive and classes are taught as seminars. The seminars, exercises and working-group sessions during the course invite students to critically reflect on the nature and limitations of international criminal law and anti-terrorism conventions, and understand the rationale of international, regional and domestic policies in this area.

"The course will enhance students' abilities to research legal material, critically analyse legislation, case studies and scholarly writing, and elaborate practical recommendations for law reform and policy change," says Dr Schloenhardt.

The course has attracted overwhelming interest from around Australia and overseas. Participants include many members of State and Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, United Nations agencies, government departments, as well as university students and non-award participants

For this year, Dr Schloenhardt has courses scheduled at James Cook University, Townsville, 13-25 July 2003, Northern Territory University, Darwin, 21 September-3 October, and tow course at The University of Adelaide 5-24 January 2004 and 27 January-13 February 2004.

The first overseas course will be in Port Moresby 27 October-7 November this year in cooperation with the University Of Papua New Guinea Law School and the National Research Institute of PNG.

"I am currently negotiating with Thammasat Law School in Bangkok, the Central Police University in Taipei, and the University of Oregon Law School at Eugene to offer the course in 2004 in Thailand, Taiwan and the United States," Dr Schloenhardt says.

Additional information can be obtained from:

www.law.adelaide.edu.au/courses/crime

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