The University of Johannesburg (UJ)’s Thelma Chinyamurindi was among the teaching faculty at the 55th annual Advanced Course in International Humanitarian Law, at the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in San Remo, Italy.
Held from the 19th to the 25th of May 2025, the intensive weeklong programme is tailored for experienced military and civilian legal advisers, military officers, and officials from governments or international organisations with a solid grounding in IHL or the law of armed conflict. The course is taught by a diverse and distinguished faculty of global experts; the course offers participants a rigorous and well-rounded learning experience.
Chinyamurindi has previously attended the San Remo Round Table on Current Issues of IHL in 2023 and the Advanced Course in 2024 as a course participant. Her return in 2025 as an instructor marks a remarkable transition from participant to faculty member. Chinyamurindi joined the faculty alongside UJ IHL expert and lecturer in the Department of Public Law at UJ, Professor Martie Bradley. Chinyamurindi is a South African Research Chair in International Law (SARCIL) Research Assistant and LLD candidate at UJ.
Professor Bradley, a member of the IIHL teaching staff since 2021, continues to play a pivotal role in shaping future IHL practitioners, including students like Chinyamurindi. Committed to expanding access to this unique learning opportunity, SARCIL has supported six students in attending the course to date. This year, Prof Bradley and Chinyamurindi were joined by LLD candidate Mbongeni Ncube and SARCIL postdoctoral fellows Dr Ayodele Ojedokun and Dr Nnamdi Umenze.
Chinyamurindi co-taught sessions on the Law of Non-International Armed Conflicts (NIACs) alongside Prof Martie Bradley at the 2025 IIHL Advanced Course in IHL. She also briefly presented her doctoral research on humanitarian assistance in NIACs. In addition, she co-taught a session on the relationship between International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL)—a topic previously taught by the late Prof Françoise Hampson, to whom this year’s course was dedicated. The course brought together over 60 participants from around the world, including military officers, legal advisers, and humanitarian professionals.
The presence and teaching of Chinyamurindi and Prof Bradley had a significant impact on participants and the broader academic community. After their session on the relationship between IHL and International Human Rights Law (IHRL), one participant remarked, “I’ve attended several lectures on this topic, but this was the first time I truly understood it.” (Participant from the UK Permanent Mission in Geneva).
During Chinyamurindi’s presentation on humanitarian assistance in non-international armed conflicts, a participant with practical field experience expressed how insightful and engaging they found her lecture. They also shared on-the-ground perspectives and operational realities, highlighting the relevance of her research and fostering a valuable exchange between academic theory and humanitarian practice.
Their contributions also held symbolic and substantive value: they were the only two female faculty members and the only representatives from the African continent—underscoring the importance of diversity and inclusion in global legal education. Chinyamurindi made history as the first Zimbabwean to teach at this prestigious course, marking a meaningful step toward greater representation from the Global South in international law.
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at SARCIL, who attended the course as participant Dr Ayodele Ojedekun said the advanced course offered the opportunity to engage with leading experts in the IHL field.
“Attending the Advanced Course on International Humanitarian Law at Sanremo was a profoundly enriching experience that deepened my understanding of the application of the theory to practice. The course offered a unique opportunity to engage with leading experts and younger academics in the field, which confirms the diversity of its faculty from various academic and operational backgrounds. Engaging with these experts and peers from around the world not only expanded my legal perspective but also challenged me to think critically about the real-world application of IHL and its legal and practical complexities. The course sharpened my ability to navigate complex legal questions with clarity and precision, and it reinforced my commitment to using international law as a tool for protecting human dignity in times of war. This experience has not only enriched my research but has also reaffirmed my dedication to contributing meaningfully to the development and implementation of humanitarian law,” he said.
Professor Hennie Strydom, Chair incumbent at SARCIL which is hosted at UJ shared that they are proud of Chinyamurindi.
“At the Chair, we are immensely proud of our students—Ms Thelma Chinyamurindi, who taught internationally for the first time at this year’s course; Mr Mbongeni Ncube; and Drs Ayodele Ojedokun and Nnamdi Umenze—for their outstanding participation in the Advanced Course on International Humanitarian Law. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Professor Martie Bradley for her unwavering mentorship and for paving the way for these emerging scholars. We also deeply value our institutional partnerships, particularly with the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL), which continue to create transformative opportunities for the next generation of international law experts,” he said.
