Global Professor of Practice of the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law Philipp Renninger gave a lecture on an Analysis of Modern German Administrative Law from the Perspective of Chinese Ancient Legalists to the student at the invitation of the College on Haidian Campus on the evening of 20 March, 2025. The lecture was moderated by Associate Dean (German side) of the Institute of Sino-German Law Balduin Benesch.
In his lectures, Renninger provided Chinese and German students with a unique perspective on German administrative law through the lens of China’s legalist thinker Han Fei Zi. By combining familiar concepts with elements of legalist theory, Renninger first opened up a new way to understand modern German administrative law and inspired students to critically reflect on the foundations of legal philosophy. He then presented his findings in German and partly accurate Chinese, classifying German administrative laws and regulations on the basis of Han Fei Zi's theories of law, technique and potential. With his research results, Renninger built a bridge between the two legal cultures, enhanced the Sino-German audience's understanding of the two legal cultures, and stimulated the students' interest in studying Sino-German legal cultures and legal systems. In addition, Renninger explored topics of administrative law that are closely related to the current German administrative law-an introduction module for second-year postgraduate students, and contextualised his analysis in the broader context of comparative law, providing the students with an academic perspective.
At the end of the lecture, Renninger, Benesch and the students present had an enthusiastic exchange. Chinese and German students actively asked Reninger questions about the determination of research topics, the specific standards of German administrative law classification, academic career planning and other issues, and Reninger gave detailed and accurate answers one by one. The lecture ended smoothly in a lively Q&A session.
This lecture deepened the understanding of Chinese and German students on the legal thoughts and systems of the two countries, and showed a unique academic perspective, which is of great significance for the improvement of students' academic quality.
