Research
MILE conducts research that is closely intertwined with the ‘values’ pillar in the Law Faculty’s research plan in doing so it focusses on three main research lines:
Legal Education Through the Lens of the Curriculum
This research line focusses on all matters that relates to how law is learned and taught. How is a ‘good’ legal curriculum formed? To what extent should it be constructively aligned? How is the educational philosophy optimised? How should we assess? These are examples of questions that can be researched in this line. This is primarily done through conventional legal methodology, most notably through critical analyses and hermeneutics. Where necessary, for example regarding the effectiveness of interventions, other methodologies – more closely related to educational sciences can be used. When doing so, MILE will actively seek interaction with other similar research institutes in Maastricht University – such as ERD in the School of Business Economics (SBE) and SHE in the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML).
Legal Education Through the Lens of the Student
This research line focusses on the person being educated: the student. What attributes should a law student have at the beginning and the end of their studies? How does legal enculturation work and how should it look? How can equitable access for students be achieved? Does the traditional approach in legal education still attune to the learning needs and capacities of modern students? All examples of questions that can be studied in this line. Legal methodology is also primarily used in this line, although educational sciences and even (neuro)psychological methodologies may also be used in this line. In addition to interaction with ERD in the School of Business Economics (SBE) and SHE in the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML), interaction can also be sought with STIL in the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN).
Disruptions in Legal Education: The case of AI
The disruptive rise of AI since 2021 has posed existential questions for legal education. For a very long time implicit attributes of jurists were trained and tested through the use of certain products. AI seems capable of producing similar products, therewith seemingly undermining this traditional approach. That requires on surface level a rethinking of assessment methods but on (a more necessary) deeper level a search for explicit attributes and ways to detach these attributes from those traditional products. Additionally, AI also offers many opportunities to legal education that can be researched in this line. Research in this line is – inevitably – linked to either one or both of the other research lines.