Discussion on ICSID Case Draws Large Number of Alumni from the Master’s in International Law

With over 70 experts in attendance—many of them alumni of the Master’s in International Law offered by the Universities of Heidelberg and Chile, including several representatives from the first graduating class 22 years ago—the Heidelberg Center hosted the discussion “Chile before ICSID: Interconexión Eléctrica S.A. v. the Republic of Chile.”

This event was organized by the Heidelberg Center for Latin America—within the framework of the Master’s in International Law, Investments and Trade (LL.M.)—together with the Heidelberg LatAm Alumni Network and CAM Santiago of the Santiago Chamber of Commerce, with whom HCLA has maintained a cooperation agreement since 2022. The strong turnout of alumni turned the event into an intergenerational gathering, reaffirming the program’s identity as an active academic community committed to the challenges of International Law.

The event was opened by the academic director of the Heidelberg Center, Dr. Inés Recio, and concluded by Ximena Vial, Executive Director of CAM Santiago. Both emphasized the fruitful collaboration between the institutions and the importance of building bridges between academia and arbitration practice.

Professor Dr. Niels Petersen (University of Münster, Germany) gave a general overview of the case from a European perspective, while attorneys Ricardo Vásquez and Paulina Riquelme contributed insights from the standpoints of international arbitration and environmental law, respectively. The session was moderated by Dr. Andrea Lucas Garin, academic coordinator of the program and also a graduate of the first LL.M. class.

The discussion served as a space for critical reflection on the implications of the recent award issued on December 13, 2024, under the investment chapter of the Free Trade Agreement between Chile and Colombia. This gathering thus strengthens the role of the Master’s program as a catalyst for current legal debates with global relevance. The April 15 event was the first academic and professional instance to address this still-recent international arbitration case.