December 18, 2013 - the appointment ceremony for Professor Gudmundur Alfredsson was held in the conference hall of the Scientific Research Building, the China University of Political Science and Law. HUANG Jin, President of CUPL and Director of the Institute for Human Rights, LI Shuzhong, Vice-President of CUPL, Professor Gudmundur Alfredsson, SHU Guoying, Director of the Institute for Jurisprudence, LIU Huimin, Vice-Director of the Talent Introduction Office, and ZHU Lijiang, Associate Professor of International Law, were present at the appointment ceremony. People from the Institute for Human Rights, including Co-Director ZHANG Wei, BAN Wenzhan, Professor YANG Qinhuo and Associate Professor SUN Meng attended the ceremony. We also had the honor to invite QU Xiangfei, Associate Researcher of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, WANG Xin, a staff member at Raul Wallenberg Liaison offices in Beijing, JI Xin, Journalist of Legal Evening Newspapers, and CHEN Yichao, a staff member at the Commission of Legislative Affairs of NPC, to participate this ceremony. Vice-President LI Shuzhong hosted the ceremony.

Vice-President LI Shuzhong introduced the rich academic and work experience of Professor Gudmundur to the participants. He got his Master’s Degree in Law from New York University in 1976 and his Doctor's Degree from Harvard Law School in 1982. Currently, he serves as Law Professor at the University of Akureyri. He served for several years as Director of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in Sweden. Professor Gudmundur has great influence in the field of human rights law, comparative law and polar law, and it is worth mentioning that he is one of the initiators who have promoted research on National Human Rights Institutions in China with other Chinese scholars. Vice-President LI Shuzhong also indicated that this appointment was an important reform at CUPL to attract more international talents to further enrich the teaching and research resources.

President Huang presented the letter of appointment and extended his warmest welcome to Professor Gudmundur. On behalf of the Faculty, Professor SHU Guoying expressed his heartiest congratulations to Professor Gudmundur. Some former Chinese students of Prof. Gudmundur spoke highly of his high moral standard and teaching spirit. Prof. ZHANG Wei, the Co-Director of the IHR, introduced what has been achieved at CUPL through the help of Prof. Gudmundur from the establishment of IHR up to now, from the first RWI book donation to the promotion of National Human Rights Institutions, from the human rights training programs for Chinese universities students and professors to the human rights summer school at CUPL that now enjoys world-wide recognition. Based on these kind contributions, Prof. Gudmundur enjoys a very high respect from Chinese human rights scholars.

Professor Gudmundur expressed his gratitude to the welcome statements and comments. He also said that in a long human rights career, human rights protection and human rights education have been highly rewarding and useful subjects. Coming to China for a period of twenty years, Professor Gudmundur said he had witnessed the increasing public awareness of human rights and improved human rights education, as well as the development of the Institute for Human Rights of CUPL. Measures should be taken by the CUPL Institute and others to launch more projects on education, promotion and protection of human rights. At last, he emphasized that human rights education could and should include humanitarian law, refuge law, international labour standards, good governance and other related subjects.

In his concluding statement, President Huang addressed three points. Firstly, he extended again his welcome to Professor Gudmundur on behalf of CUPL. Secondly, President Huang stated that it is a good choice for both sides because of the high status of Professor Gudmundur in the field of human rights and the exclusive status of the Institute of human rights of CUPL in China. Finally, President Huang suggested that Professor Gudmundur do his best to fulfill his responsibilities, while CUPL should ensure his working and living conditions during the period of stay in China.

After the ceremony, Professor Gudmundur presented a public lecture on the education of human rights in universities and beyond. Professor Gudmundur emphasized that states have international law obligations and duty for domestic legislation on human rights, including human rights education. Furthermore, human rights law should be studied by all law school students. It is also necessary to incorporate human rights education among other academic disciplines, such as anthropology, mathematics and sociology, because of their relationship. The outlined the contents of the 2011 UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training which shows that human rights education should be implemented from kindergartens to universities and adult education, from individuals to distinctive groups, and especially legal enforcement officials.