Albertjan Tollenaar is a Professor in Local Law and Governance and Director of the Groningen Graduate School of Law (GGSL). Below we have asked him a few questions about our new English language Research Master programme and what this unique programme has to offer students.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself, and role within the Groningen Graduate School of Law?

My academic pursuits primarily revolve around empirical legal research, delving into the intricate mechanisms that underpin the utilization—or lack thereof—of legal frameworks by various actors.

In my capacity as the Director of the GGSL, I am responsible for the overseeing the PhD trajectories and steering the research master program. Presently, our faculty hosts a vibrant community of more than 100 PhD candidates. This group encompasses individuals from various disciplines and legal domains and contain PhDs that work on an employment basis – and are involved in the teaching of courses – and recipients of grants from their home country (like Turkey, Indonesia, or China), as well as external PhD students.

What is the overarching purpose of the Research Master programme?

Through our two-year Research Master programme, we aim to provide students with a solid base for continuing into our PhD programme. This master provides students with a basis in a particular legal domain (like private law, criminal law, constitutional law, law and IT, international law etc.) and combines that with courses that provide an analytical reflection on the use and meaning of the legal system. With this aim, the research master provides students with methodological courses (for example on doctrinal, empirical, and comparative research), but also courses that develop research skills.

Who is this programme for?

The programme is rather demanding, meaning that enrolled students have to write many papers, and will therefore have to combine many deadlines for written assignments that will be subject to criticism. The Research Master is, therefore, mainly aimed at students who wish to excel in research, demonstrate ambition, resilience, and a commitment to self-improvement. Grades earned in the past are only an indication of these qualities. Curiosity, independence, analytical capabilities, and stamina are just as important for achieving success in the programme.

What seperates this programme from other options students have, when choosing an LLM?

The programme is unique in the sense that it is a two-year programme, that it contains high-quality courses taught in rather small groups, and that it is comprised of students from different backgrounds. The diversity not only refers to the legal domains in which the student are specialized, but it also refers to the fact that the students in the English-track will follow courses together with the Dutch-track and that often PhD students will join the classes as well. The exchange of ideas and experiences makes it a very interesting and rewarding programme.

What is the career path for graduates after finishing the programme?

Many of our Research Master alumni (from the Dutch-track) end up in a position as PhD student, either at our Faculty or elsewhere. But the programme is not only relevant for those who wish to pursue an academic career. With the skills and insights that the students gather in this programme, they become relevant researchers for any organization, including law firms, non-governmental organizations, or ministries. In fact, many of our alumni end up in interesting positions where they combine their thorough knowledge of a specific legal domain with the critical perspectives that they developed during the studies.

It is therefore no surprise that our Research Master's program has garnered widespread acclaim over the years, earning recognition as a beacon of excellence within the field. In fact, during a recent evaluation by a visitation committee, our program was aptly described as a "hidden gem".

Recently, our Faculty Board decided to provide a broader access to this programme by starting an English taught track within the master, which will start from the upcoming academic year (2024-2025) and aims at expanding opportunities for our international students.

What advice would you give to students considering to pursue this programme?

If you are ambitious, wish to get the best out of yourself, and are interested in looking at things from different angles and perspectives, the Research Master might be a very interesting opportunity for you. You can learn more about the programme by joining the Research Master presentation at our upcoming (www.rug.nl/education/master/masterweek/programmaperfaculteit/rechtsgeleerdheid) Masters Week event. If you cannot attend the presentation in-person, you can view one of our previous (recorded) presentations here, and also visit the programme webpages.

- Interview by: Dr. Chris Brennan, Marketing Advisor, Faculty of Law

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Interested in more information about our Research Master programme? You can ask questions to the Faculty by filling out our information request form, or contact the Groningen Graduate School of Law directly.