After months of intensive preparation and successful Friendly Rounds, the team of the University of Graz travelled to The Hague for the final rounds of the Telders Moot Court Competition, which took place from 3 to 6 June 2026.
The Telders Moot Court is one of the largest international law competitions in Europe and offers students the opportunity to gain practical insight into the work of the International Court of Justice through a fictional case. As part of the competition, teams first prepare written statements and subsequently compete against one another in simulated court proceedings.
The week of the finals began on Wednesday evening with a reception and dinner at the Peace Palace in The Hague. This provided participants with the opportunity not only to meet other teams, but also to reconnect with familiar faces from previous practice rounds and exchange experiences from the past months.
Over the following two days, the participants competed in the oral rounds. The team of the University of Graz, consisting of Viktoria Schirnhofer, Jana Tsybrovskyy, Charlotte Vereecken, and Mechthild Wochesländer, had the opportunity to present its arguments before distinguished international law scholars serving as judges, and to respond to their questions.
Friday evening was dedicated to the traditional closing event at the beach of Scheveningen. There, participants were able to reflect on the previous days before the two finalist teams were announced.
The Graz team placed 11th on the applicant side and 13th on the respondent side. In the overall ranking, the team secured 12th place among the participating universities from across Europe.
On Saturday morning, the Graz team attended the final round at the Peace Palace and subsequently took part in the award ceremony.
The Institute of International Law and International Relations would like to express its sincere gratitude to Leiden University for organizing and hosting the competition. A special thank you is due to Prof. Dr. N.B. Blokker, the Supervisory Board, and the Telders Organizing Office, whose efforts made this year’s competition possible.
The team would also like to thank everyone involved in the preparation process, in particular the Rectorate of the University of Graz, the Dean’s Office of the Faculty of Law, CMHF-Infinitus, and rhetoric coach Monika Schmidt for their continuous support. A special thank you goes to the two coaches who accompanied the team throughout the year – Univ.-Prof. Dr. Erika de Wet, LL.M. (Harvard), and Mag. Natascha Gojkovic.
With the finals in The Hague, the 49th Telders Moot Court has come to an end. Beyond the team’s achievements, the competition leaves behind valuable experiences, new friendships, and professional connections, as well as unforgettable memories from an intense and rewarding year.
