uantwerplaw
2 Left to right: Melissa Vanmeenen, Vice-Dean for Education Wouter Vandenhole, Vice-Dean for Research Filip Seuntjens, Faculty Director Frederik Swennen, Dean
3 Mission The Faculty of Law of the University of Antwerp is a thriving academic community situated in the heart of Antwerp and includes more than 2.000 students and 340 employees. Our faculty focuses on education, research and societal commitment, with a particular emphasis on sustainability, diversity and internationalisation. Societal commitment has always been part of our faculty’s DNA. The Faculty of Law takes social perspectives into account in research and education, as well as in staff management and organisation. We also put our expertise at the service of society, ranging from postgraduate courses and socio-economic policy-making, to involvement in non-profit organisations and social debate in general. Active pluralism is our guiding principle. Antwerp’s law faculty is strongly committed to competence-based education in smaller groups. Law is always placed in its proper context and we pay particular attention to internationalisation. In addition to our bachelor and master programmes in Dutch, the Faculty of Law also offers two unique programmes: the Master of Laws programme (in English) and Flanders’ only master programme in Tax Law. Our range of continuing education courses includes an advanced master programme in Tax Law and a wide range of postgraduate training courses. Table of Contents Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Education............. 8 Internationalisation . . . . . . .10 Faculty & Society . . . . . . . . 12 Nexus............ 13 Our initiatives . . . . . . . . . 14 #uantwerplaw Visit our website: www.uantwerpen.be/law
4 Research Research Groups & Chairs The core research domain of the Personal Rights and Property Rights (PR²) Research Group is private (international) law. The research programme is subdivided into four related lines of research: personality rights, contractualisation, liability & accountability, and kinship studies. The focus of the research programme lies on the socio-legal phenomenon of private ordering in private (international) law. The content is driven by the concepts of multi-level governance and globalisation, while the research methods are driven by socio-legal studies. Antwerp Health Law & Ethics Chair (AHLEC) This chair encourages independent, high-quality and critical research in the field of health law and ethics, through PhDs, publications and recommendations. In addition, this chair offers modular post-academic training that is open to physicians, pharmacists, nurses, paramedics, healthcare staff and executives, the insurance sector, lawyers, hospital legal counsels, magistrates, government officials and students. Antwerp Liability & Insurance Chair (ALLIC) Through PhDs, publications and recommendations, this chair stimulates independent, high-quality and critical research into liability and insurance law. The post-academic training offered through this chair is aimed at the insurance sector, lawyers, magistrates, government officials and students. Conferences, study evenings and seminars are also organised, serving as an academic platform for interdisciplinary debate on topics related to liability and insurance law. Animals and Law Chair This chair, funded by a private patron, seeks to identify an overarching, normative principle governing our relation to animals and to operationalise it as a set of rules. Both the ethical and comparative law perspectives of animal law are covered and the chair oversees that policy-supporting research is carried out on behalf of the Flemish government with regard to the decision tree for administrative sanctions for violations of animal welfare legislation. The chair also offers an inter-faculty and inter- university series of animal rights courses, and aims to pool its expertise with that of other universities to organise activities for a wider audience, such as debates and training activities. Personal Rights and Property Rights
5 The Business and Law Research Group conducts research at the cutting edge of European, tax and economic law, and explores the broad notion of ‘a business’ in a functional, non-normative manner. This includes market-bound companies, governmental companies and non-profit organisations carrying out economic activities. There are four different lines of research: the legal life of businesses: creation, operation and termination; businesses in context; businesses and their governmental regulators; and legal protection at national and European level. Jean-Pierre Blumberg Chair This chair was established in 2021 in permanent memory of Jean- Pierre Blumberg. The activities of the chair consist of education, research and social engagement relating to the topic of corporate governance. The research agenda of the chair consists of research on the legal and economic aspects of corporate governance. More specifically, the chair investigates the short-termism problem in corporate governance and how corporate governance can contribute to sustainability. The Government and Law Research Group conducts research into the recent developments in governance and multi-level governments, and how they affect public law. The questions explored include those arising from the exercise of authority by non-state actors at various levels: how do these actors function in this changed environment and how do we deal with issues that can be inferred from it, such as legitimacy, responsibility, the rule of law or respect for fundamental rights? There are four lines of research: multi-level good governance; governance and public decision-making; governance and diverse societies; and rule of law and constitutionalism. Government and Law Business and Law
6
7 The Law Enforcement Research Group aims to determine – both for private law and for criminal (procedure) law – which sanctions can be used and under which conditions. The research group examines which sanctions are most appropriate for the effective enforcement of private and criminal law standards, and looks into ways to make the administration of criminal justice more coherent. Law and Development The Law and Development Research Group studies the role of law in enhancing human dignity and global justice, both within states and between states in the North and the South. The research group takes a critical approach to law and defines what law actually ‘does’ in a society, through interdisciplinary and empirical research. There are two lines of research: Human Rights and Global Justice; and Law and Sustainable Development. Diversity and conflict are recurring themes in both lines. The Antwerp Tax Academy, an inter-faculty institute for tax science founded in 2012, is a collaboration between the Antwerp Management School and various faculties and institutes of the University of Antwerp: Faculty of Law Faculty of Arts Faculty of Business and Economics Faculty of Social Sciences Faculty of Science - Department of Mathematics and Computer Science Institute of Development Policy The social aim of the Antwerp Tax Academy is primarily to promote, facilitate and conduct multidisciplinary fundamental and applied scientific research, and also to develop and support multidisciplinary academic education. This includes specific course units, but also short and full study programmes on taxation. The Antwerp Tax Academy is an open, pluralistic and multidisciplinary platform for cooperation between the academic world (universities and colleges) and society (governments, companies, interest groups, etc.) to develop and acquire insights into taxation, based on multidisciplinary scientific research. This way, the Antwerp Tax Academy aims to contribute to tax science and therefore to society. Discover all our research initiatives: www.uantwerpen.be/research-law
8 Education Bachelor Law is about so much more than court cases. It can be found everywhere in society, serving as an instrument to prevent and solve problems. It is therefore important for legal experts to have a broad perspective and a thorough understanding of the interplay between people and society. The bachelor programme, taught in Dutch, focuses on three aspects: • a solid legal foundation in Belgian, European and international law; • a broad general education, with subjects such as economics and sociology; • legal skills, including reasoning, debating and writing legal texts. Graduates of this bachelor programme can go on to pursue a master‘s degree in law at the University of Antwerp. Master The Dutch Master of Laws programme at the University of Antwerp spans two years. The programme consists of metalegal courses, legal courses with exercises, legal skills, and a master dissertation, which is linked to an internship in the legal profession, the magistracy, the notary’s office, the government, a social organisation or a company. The freedom of choice offered and the internship allow students to prepare thoroughly for their future working environments. This could of course be in the legal profession, at the public prosecutor’s office or in the magistracy, but also in an advisory or managerial capacity in business, government, international organisations, the social sector or the non-profit sector.
9 Master of Laws / LL.M. The Master of Laws is an English-taught master programme that explores international and European law on the basis of problem- oriented education and legal research. Topics such as multi-level governance, commercial transactions, sustainable development and human rights are addressed. The participation of international teachers and students provides a unique perspective and interesting interactions. There is also a close cooperation with a number of universities abroad and other external partners, for instance in the ‘legal clinic’. Advanced Master in Tax Law The Advanced Master in Tax Law is, just like the Master of Tax Law, a specialisation programme in tax law. However the advanced programme can only be followed by students who have already obtained a master’s degree in law or in economics. In addition to a master dissertation, students can customize their study programme. Students can choose between a general programme, or an orientation toward individuals and the self-employed on one hand, or on enterprises on the other hand. Master of Tax Law Students who wish to specialise in tax law immediately after the bachelor programme can pursue a Master of Tax Law at the University of Antwerp. This programme is taught in Dutch. The study programme was designed with the specific needs of the tax professions in mind. This specialisation makes room for the acquisition of extensive competencies in tax law. The skills training focuses on tax strategy. Specific attention is paid to intranational and international comparative law, and also to the ever- increasing influences of European and international law on tax law. #uantwerplaw
10 Internationalisation The Faculty of Law attaches great importance to internationalisation. This is reflected in our research projects, in the international conferences organised by Faculty & Society, and especially in the programmes we offer. The faculty has been offering a two-year English-taught master (LL.M.) since 2017. This programme attracts not only graduates of UAntwerp’s bachelor programme, but also students from the rest of the country, Europe and beyond. We encourage our master students to study at one of our 61 European or 18 non-European partner universities, either for a semester or for a full academic year. Students must meet certain academic criteria, and they also receive advice and guidance so they can make the right choices. Their course programmes abroad are checked carefully in terms of volume and quality. Every year, we receive around 85 exchange students from our partner universities, who come to study at our faculty for a semester or for a full academic year. Our students are not the only ones expanding their horizons: several of our lecturers teach courses at our partner universities, and we regularly welcome lecturers from other countries to teach classes within our curriculum. The faculty is also an active member of several international networks of law faculties, including Academia, Paris X Nanterre and CIEL. Furthermore, the ATLAS network offers our PhD students the opportunity to follow intensive summer courses. The University of Antwerp is also part of the Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) initiative: a European university alliance of which the University of Antwerp is a co-founder. YUFE aims to build a European university across national borders. Within YUFE, the law faculties have joined forces to develop common programmes. Discover our unique LL.M. programme: www.uantwerpen.be/LLM
11 The Faculty of Law in a nutshell (2022-2023) 2 116 students, more than 60 different nationalities 3 postgraduates 177 courses offered 66 professors and 49 assistants 61 European partner universities, 18 partner universities outside Europe 55 outgoing students at 29 partner universities in 18 countries 83 incoming students from 35 partner universities in 21 countries 65 Continuing Education offers per year 5 research groups 4 chairs 2 research excellence consortia 100 ongoing doctorates 11 completed doctorates in 2023 35 research projects, accounting for € 3 800 000 funding in 2023 755 publications per year (past 5 years)
12 Faculty & Society The Faculty of Law places significant emphasis on its relation with society and accepts its academic responsibility in this regard. This explains the strong societal focus of our education and research efforts. This connection with society is noticeable in all aspects of our activities, reflecting our firm will to be present, relevant and responsible. We translate this into specific actions in our own faculty, on a university level, and in society. In these actions, we are strongly committed to sustainability and diversity, while expanding our role and expertise in development cooperation. We also continue to nurture our close ties with our alumni and the legal world. With the Antwerp Law Net, our dynamic community of alumni, we want to create added value for our graduates, our faculty and our society. After all, obtaining a degree is not the end, but rather the beginning of a renewed and long collaboration. Let’s stay in touch:
13 Nexus: Continuing Education Nexus is the Faculty of Law’s hub for lifelong learning initiatives, continuing education and training. The variety of courses available is exceptionally diverse, encompassing a wide range of formats and subjects: postgraduates, post-academic programmes, study evenings, workshops, webinars, lectures, seminars, refresher courses and in- house training programmes. Our academic staff always ensures high- quality content, while Nexus takes care of the administration services. Postgraduates The Faculty of Law offers three postgraduates (in Dutch): The postgraduate in Health Law and Health Ethics The postgraduate in Liability Law and Insurance Law The postgraduate for Health & Safety advisors Post-academic training in Socio-Economic Policy The Institute for Cooperation between University and Labour Movement (ISUA) aims to support trade unions in their consultations and negotiations with employers. At the same time, the trade unions’ field experience adds realism to the university’s educational programme and research practice. The aim of this Dutch taught post-academic training course in socio- economic policy (VOSEB) is to support trade union representatives in their consultations and negotiations with employers. Post-academic training and Continuing Education in Mediation The Faculty of Law at UAntwerp offers post-academic training in mediation in collaboration with the University of Ghent. In addition, our faculty also organises continuing education in mediation, which is an advanced training course for legal experts and social workers who are already professionally engaged in mediation. These courses are taught in Dutch. Continuing Education in Customs and Excise ‘Customs and Excise’ is a modular, academically oriented specialisation programme organised by the University of Antwerp (Dutch-taught part) and the University of Liège (French-taught part) in collaboration with Belgium’s FPS Finance and the private sector. The courses are taught by lecturers with relevant expertise from academia, administration, the legal profession and the private sector. Labs and Lectures Every academic year, the Faculty of Law organises several workshops, webinars, lectures and study evenings in various fields of law, or in relation to a Chair. Several of these activities are available in English. For a list of upcoming activities and events, please consult the activities page on our website: www.uantwerpen.be/law. In-house training If you have any questions about training courses, workshops or lectures, Nexus will be happy to advise you. For enquiries about tailor-made training, in-house training or advice, please contact nexus@uantwerpen.be.
14 Pharus Initiated by the University of Antwerp’s Faculty of Law, Pharus supports governments, authorities, businesses and organisations with navigating the complex legal environment and guides their projects to a safe haven. Pharus unites the forces of the Faculty of Law’s leading academic experts and specialists from other faculties to deliver tailored, research-driven guidance. However complex the question, our clients and partners know they can rely on the deepest and most up-to-date knowledge with the broadest perspective for answers they can trust. International Student Mobility Fund Studying abroad is not a given for every student. This is why the Faculty of Law, together with the University Fund, has established a support fund for international student mobility, with a focus on supporting international mobility for outgoing and incoming students with insufficient financial capacity. With a donation you give law students the opportunity to develop their talents on an international level. You can make a donation to the account number of the University Fund: BE42 7310 4624 7854. Make sure to mention “Faculty of Law International Student Mobility.” Donations of € 40 or more are tax deductible. Furthermore, you can include the University of Antwerp as a beneficiary in your will and specifically mention the purpose for which you want to donate, for example research that you wish to support. You can also set up a named fund and thus support a specific theme financially. Discover how Pharus can help you: www.uantwerpen.be/pharus You can make a difference today for tomorrow: www.uantwerpen.be/law-fund
15
16 Contact Stadscampus – Building V Venusstraat 23, 2000 Antwerp decanaat.rechten@uantwerpen.be www.uantwerpen.be/law T +32 3 265 54 44
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTg3Nzk=