LL.M. in International and European Law
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History |
"The assessment committee evaluates the level achieved by the the [VUB-PILC] Master of International and Comparative Law as excellent."
The Short History of an International Programme of Excellence
Over the years, the focus of the PILC Programme has gradually shifted from international and comparative law to international and European law. As a result, the name of the degree has now changed to Master (LL.M.) in International and European Law. This was an understandable development due partly to the increasing importance of the European integration process, which has steadily deepened and widened throughout the years, and partly because of the evident advantage of the Master Programme being located in the capital of Europe, in the immediate proximity of the main European institutions.
In 2001, the PILC Programme was integrated into a newly created Institute for European Studies (IES) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). The IES was set up to consolidate the educational strength of the Master Programme and to add a thorough research basis in international and European law. At the same time, however, the Master Programme retained its link with the Law Faculty, which continues to be responsible for academic oversight.
In 2007, in view of its official accreditation, the PILC Programme (as well as other Advanced Master’s study programmes in Law at the Flemish Universities in Belgium) underwent international assessment conducted under the auspices of the Flemish Interuniversity Council in Belgium. The assessment of the PILC Programme was positive and resulted in a continuation of its official accreditation.
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“VUB’s LL.M. has been crucial for my professional life. This programme greatly helped me to pass the EU competition exam and get an interesting job as an international lawyer at the Commission.” Olga
Kopiczko |
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“The PILC programme has served as an excellent training ground for my clerkship in the European Commission and for my further graduate studies in the United States. PILC provides lawyers with an international outlook and with a solid basis in European and international law. Working in the law firm or institution of tomorrow requires in-depth and up-to-date insight in the dynamics of Brussels of today. PILC will give you all that and much more.” Folkert
Graafsma |
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“The PILC programme was the best year of my academic career by far. The level of instruction was very high, with a great mix of professors and practitioners, and spending a year in Brussels was a wonderful experience. More than a decade later, I am still in Brussels, only now as a practitioner specializing in EC law. I remain actively involved in the PILC programme to this day, and it remains without a doubt one of the top LL.M. programmes in Europe.” Porter
Elliott |
