The first week of the PEPP round in 2025/2026 took place, as is tradition, from October 27th to October 31st in Münster. The academic programme included topical lectures on AI in private law and legal practice, as well as on European contract law. Interactive workshops and lively discussions brought the group of 24 doctoral students from all over Europe closer together and provided the setting for an enjoyable time. Outside the academic context, participants explored the city of Münster on a guided city tour and enjoyed dinner and drinks with lawyers from the sponsoring law firm CMS Hasche Sigle.
Another peak of the week was a day trip to Max Planck Institute in Hamburg on Wednesday, where the group listened to insightful lectures on family law and research methods by fellow academics and professors of the MPI. A guided tour of Hamburg by night rounded off the day perfectly. The second part of the weeks’ programme included lectures on common law, sports law, the SLAPP regulation, the preliminary reference procedure in European private law and a small moot court on a current ECJ case, as well as an evening of bowling and beer. The week ended with warm farewells and great anticipation for the next PEPP week in January 2026 in Zagreb, Croatia.
