--- In the Case of Wuhan University Law School

Zhang Wanhong
China

Human rights is a great term, as well as an arduous undertaking, which needs unremitted efforts from various departments and all industries. Because of the advantages in resources and human resources, universities boast irreplaceable functions in the innovation, spread and application of human rights knowledge and can make outstanding contribution to the spread and popularization of human rights researches, human rights education, human rights initiation and human rights concepts. Here, I would like to discuss the roles China's universities have played and will play in human rights protection and promotion based on Wuhan University Law School where I am working with.

I. Practices of Wuhan University Law School in human rights protection and promotion

(I) Brief introduction of human rights education and studies in Wuhan University Law School

1. History and main achievements
As one of the important institutes of law education and studies in China, Wuhan University Law School, with a history of more than 80 years, boasts a long and glorious history in human rights education and studies. On October 26, 1979, a commentator's article was published in Guangming Daily. Later, a renowned Constitution scholar also published an article, asserting Marx and Engels "held negative attitude" to human rights in principle, and that "very few people…oppose the Four Basic Principles under the name of Human Rights with ulterior motives." Targeting the assertion, late Constitution jurist He Huahui, who was also professor of Wuhan University Law School, published an article entitled Also On Human Rights (which was included into Collected Work of He Huahui, Wuhan University Press, 2006), refuting the above-mentioned views diametrically. After that, teachers in Wuhan University Law School published a large number of works and theses on human rights, including some important works, such as Human Rights Theories and International Human Rights (Li Long and Wan Exiang, Wuhan University Press, 2006), International Human Rights Laws (Wan Exiang and Guo Keqiang, Wuhan University Press, 1993), Human Rights Theories and Practices (Edited by Han Depei, Wuhan University Press, 1994), Comments on Legal Precedents in European Human Rights Courts (Edited by Wan Exiang, Hubei People's Press, 1999), and so on.

2. Courses and degree theses
Professor Wan Exiang took the lead to launch a master degree course for human rights in Wuhan University Law School, called International Human Rights Laws, which is a required course for master degree of international public law and jurisprudence majors. It is also open to master degree students of other majors. After Professor Wan Exiang went to Beijing to be vice president of the Supreme People's Court, the course is now mainly taught by Deputy Professor Shi Lei and Deputy Professor Feng Jiehan independently or cooperatively.