Latest blog articles

  • Dean’s blog episode 10 - A New Academic Year

    Last week we welcomed a large number of first year students at our Faculty. At the beginning of this new academic year, we were also very happy to host our alumni at the annual alumni day.


    September is always an important month at University. Next to the official opening of the academic year (at...

    Law
    Deans_blog10_foto1_LBM
  • Dean’s blog episode 8: ‘Better education’ and language

    While the internationalisation of higher education is under pressure in the Netherlands, legal education is an example of how a language policy can be successful: dependent on the aim and contents of the curriculum, lawyers can also be taught in other languages than their own.

    Law
    Buiten
  • Dean’s blog episode 7: how visible is legal academia?

    Many things go well in Dutch legal academia. However, there is a need for legal academics to be more visible to the outside world. They should show why law must have a central place in the big research themes of today.

    Law
    Hoe zichtbaar is de rechtswetenschap, lezing Jan Smits
  • Dean’s Blog Episode 6: Creative Community Law@UM

    On 14 March the Faculty Council gave its consent to the new Faculty strategy ‘Creative Community Law@UM.’ The Faculty Board wishes to involve the Faculty community as much as possible also in implementing this strategy.

    Law
    FB_foto_feb_2018_MLR
  • Dean’s blog episode 5: innovation from the bottom-up

    The University is dependent on innovation from the bottom-up. Recent examples of wonderful initiatives are the Rethinking Justice Hackathon and the Abraham de Pinto client counseling competition.

    Law
    Abraham de Pinto competitie
  • Dean’s blog episode 4: Bachelor Open Day

    Now that law gets little attention in high school, we must enhance our initiatives in the field of pre-academic experience. We already have a wonderful virtual open day for law, but the challenge is to also make one that places prospective students right in the middle of a tutorial and have them...

    Law
    FdR Bachelor Open Day 2018 feb
  • Dean’s blog episode 3: from Blue Monday to the Dies Natalis

    Many things happened at the Faculty in the past fortnight. Friday 26 January, we celebrated the 42nd Dies Natalis of the UM. The one thing I always like about this celebration is that it is enormously varied compared to other universities’ anniversaries.

    Law
    scriptieprijzen uitreiking FdR Maastricht  UM 2018
  • The Dean’s Blog episode 1: the first two weeks

    Some colleagues asked me what it is that a dean does all day and why he cannot simply do his fair share of teaching. This question is fully justified and this blog will try to give some insight into work and life of a dean (that, by the way, I am also curious about myself).

    Law
    Dean's blog Jan Smits_Faculty of Law Maastricht