Organisation

Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies in The Hague

The Grotius Centre forms part of Leiden University’s Leiden Law School and Campus The Hague. Teaching and research activities at the Centre focus on all aspects of international law and combine the expertise of Leiden University’s Law School with the position of The Hague as the City of Peace and Justice. The Master of Laws: Advanced Studies Programme offers insights into the everyday practice of the various international judicial and other institutions in The Hague, such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) and the International Criminal Court (ICC). Notably, the activities of the Grotius Centre provide ample opportunity for students to engage in extracurricular activities. Examples of such activities include weekly lecture series in International Criminal Law. These lectures are organised in co-operation with the T.M.C. Asser Institute and the NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court and conferences organised with other members of the The Hague Academic Coalition.
Members of The Hague Academic Coalition are: The Institute of Social Studies, the Carnegie Foundation (Peace Palace), The Hague Institute for the Internationalisation of Law, the T.M.C. Asser Institute for International Law, the Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ and Campus The Hague of Leiden University.

Student Facilities

The Law School is housed in the monumental Kamerlingh Onnes Gebouw, a fully equipped and beautifully restored landmark building in the heart of historic Leiden. The Leiden Law School has an extensive library, containing both traditional and electronic sources of European and International Law, including studies on specific themes and handbooks dealing with law and policy, as well as the most reputable journals in the world.

In The Hague, classes take place at the Grotius Centre at the Campus The Hague of Leiden University, located close to the The Hague Central train station.

In The Hague, students also have convenient access to the Royal Library, the library of the Peace Palace in The Hague and the libraries of the T.M.C. Asser Institute for International Law.

Student counseling

Student counseling is an important feature of our programme. The 2007 accreditation panel:
“[…] feels positive about the very personal way in which deficiencies are handled. The fact that most teachers have a great deal of international experience is expected to have a positive contribution to the way in which the students (from many different backgrounds) are counseled. All relevant information about the programme is communicated via Email and Blackboard. The panel thinks this is an adequate way to communicate with the students.”