Successful International Insolvency Law PhD Workshop
On 28 February and 1 March 2019, Stichting Bob Wessels Insolvency Law Collection (Foundation) held its first PhD Workshop on European and International Insolvency Law. The workshop attracted more than 25 applications from PhD students from all over Europe. At the workshop young researchers had a chance to present, test and discuss their (developing) ideas in front of fellow colleagues as well as experienced professors.
One of the Foundations’ activities is to organise an annual PhD Workshop. For this first edition, there were no less than 25 submissions from PhD students from 12 countries: 10 from the EU, one from Russia and one from China. On Thursday 28 February and Friday 1 March 2019, 8 PhD students had 30 minutes to present their research, followed by vivid discussions. Other participants were given a chance to present their research by presenting a poster.
The workshop aimed at achieving two main goals. First, providing PhD students with an interest in the area of European/International Insolvency Law with a chance to connect with peers who are at the same stage of their legal or academic career. They could meet, exchange experiences and create a network. Second, the workshop allowed participants to present, test and discuss their (developing) ideas in front of fellow colleagues as well as experienced professors in order to strengthen their research findings and skills.
First prize
The participants of the PhD Workshop could compete for a prize of EUR 500 and a book, awarded as recognition of the best presentation. The selection was made by the Board of the Foundation. Prof. Bob Wessels - as patron to the Foundation - presented this award to the candidate that the Board had chosen: Lydia Tsioli (King’s College London). Lydia presented and discussed a part of her PhD thesis on: ‘The viability test in European debt restructuring’. The first prize for the most original poster presentation was awarded to Jessie Pool (Leiden University).
Following the success of this first PhD Workshop, the Board of the Foundation announced that a second edition will take place early March 2020.