Reaccreditation Law degree programmes

On 1 July 2024, a Development Dialogue took place as part of the reaccreditation process for twelve degree programmes within the Faculty of Law. During this meeting, the panel was presented with data concerning student dropout rates during and after the first year. The general impression was that the trends observed in Groningen are broadly in line with those at sister faculties.

Several factors were cited as contributing to the slight upward trend in first-year dropout rates:

• The programme is highly language-intensive. Given the declining level of reading proficiency among secondary school graduates, this is increasingly becoming a concern.
• The transition from preparatory education to academic education appears to be growing more challenging, with increased pressure on students (e.g. penalties for extended study duration, interest on student loans, and difficulties in securing mortgages).
• The volume of legislation and associated case law continues to expand, which makes the programmes more complex.

The panel proposed several measures to help mitigate the effects of these developments:

• Introducing enhanced reading skills at the start of the programme to help students reach the required skill level more quickly.
• Exploring how the curriculum can be designed to engage students earlier with the broader societal context of law.
• Investigating how developments in artificial intelligence can be integrated into the programme at an early stage.
• Ensuring adequate attention is given to the soft skills necessary for successful academic progression.
• Critically reviewing the quantity of course material offered, while maintaining its quality.

All participants agreed that the final attainment level of the programme should remain unchanged.