Internationalisation
The University of Lucerne Faculty of Law: Commitment to Internationalisation
The Lucerne University Faculty of Law has developed in less than two decades into an institution that is strongly internationally positioned in research and teaching. Our pursuit for excellence in both fields has been unwavering and we have been fortunate to attract many great scholars and students and to create a dynamic international community over time.
Our commitment to internationalisation remains strong and has been defined as one of the key tasks of the Faculty of Law, as well as a mission of the University of Lucerne. We seek to continue doing high quality research with international appeal and engaging a vibrant group of students from around the world. As a relatively young university, we pursue innovation and societal impact in both legal and interdisciplinary research and cooperate with a large number of partners both locally and globally in endorsing this mission.
As part of the internationalisation strategy of the University of Lucerne and its commitment to «Moving Human Sciences», the Faculty of Law welcomes Visiting Fellows, who can contribute to the Faculty’s research and teaching activities and benefit from the expertise of the Faculty Members and the excellent infrastructure of our university.
The following specifies the application procedure and the conditions for the Visiting Fellowships.
Content and Duration of the Stay
Visiting fellows undertake research at the Faculty of Law and become integrated into the Faculty’s research and teaching activities. The duration of stay is between 1 and 12 months. Shorter or longer stays need to be specifically justified.
Prospective visiting fellows must hold a doctoral degree and need to secure the support by one of the Faculty Members (hereinafter "sponsor") for their application. The sponsor has to agree to act as a contact person and mentor for the visiting fellow during the stay in Lucerne. Faculty Members can also invite visiting fellows.
Application Procedure
Visiting fellows must submit the following documents (in PDF form) via e-mail to the Director for Internationalisation (see contact details below):
- Application form, including proof of support by one (or more) of the Faculty Members
- Motivation letter
- Research proposal with details about the activities to be pursued during the stay in Lucerne
- Curriculum vitae
- List of publications
The application is on a rolling basis (no specific deadlines apply).
Selection Procedure
The application dossier will be reviewed by the Director for Internationalisation together with the Dean of the Faculty of Law. Upon decision, visiting fellows will receive an invitation letter from the Director for Internationalisation, which can be used when applying for a visa, if necessary. There is no explicit right to granting visiting fellowship; nor is there a need for the Faculty to justify its decision.
Post-selection
Visiting fellows will receive a University Guest Card and an e-mail account (if the fellowship exceeds 4 months) at the beginning of their stay. Depending upon availability, they may also receive a working station at the university. Certain fees may apply to cover administrative costs.
Visiting fellows will be in contact with the sponsor and together seek an effective integration of the visiting fellow into the Faculty’s research and teaching activities. With regard to accommodation and other practical matters, the visiting fellows will be assisted by the Welcome Centre of the University of Lucerne. Accommodation, insurance, travel and any other costs incurring from the stay in Lucerne will be covered by the visiting fellow. There are no grants associated with the visiting fellow status.
Contact
Prof. Mira Burri, Director for Internationalisation
Faculty of Law, University of Lucerne
mira.burri@unilu.ch
A Rich and Diverse Offer of Courses in English
As a Faculty committed to internationalisation, we have over the years created a wide and diverse offer of English language courses that are attractive to both Lucerne-based and international students. The thematic scope is broad and ranges from International Humanitarian Law to Internet and Financial Law.
Please, take a look at the brochurethat gives you an overview of the courses offered over the coming 3 semesters or consult our course catalogue for the current courses and their schedule.
Next to the high-quality courses, the University of Lucerne is unique in offering a personal atmosphere and an optimal support network for helping students achieve academic success. Motivated and highly committed lecturers, teaching assistants and administrators provide help to students in all aspects of their studies. A personal tutor is on hand with additional invaluable tips and guidance with planning individual courses of study.
Certificate Programme "Global Legal Studies" (GLS)
What is the GLS Programme?
"Global Legal Studies: International Economic Law, Human Rights and Sustainability (GLS)" is a dedicated certificate programme offered at the Faculty of Law at the University of Lucerne for exchange students at Master’s level. It reflects the different specialisations of the Faculty’s teaching activities and covers its rich palette of courses in English.
Why the GLS Programme?
Are you interested in a unique learning experience with active academic interaction in an inspiring environment? Are you eager to understand international, transnational and comparative legal systems, processes and actors? Then join the GLS! The GLS certificate adds value to your academic and professional profile – it provides additional know-how, in particular in the fields of international economic and human rights law, and ensures a competitive advantage on the market for jobs that demand a deeper understanding of global law and policy, especially under the current fluid geopolitical landscape.
How to join the GLS Programme?
- Open for all exchange students at the Faculty of Law in Lucerne
- Successful completion of 5 law courses in English equivalent to 25 ECTS credits
- No fees
- Upon completion, a certificate in "Global Legal Studies: International Economic Law, Human Rights and Sustainability" will be awarded
If you are interested in knowing more about our GLS programme, please, take a look at the Faculty guidelines here: Guidelines Certificate Programme Global Legal Studies
Lucerne Academy for Human Rights Implementation
Our well-established Summer School "Lucerne Academy for Human Rights Implementation" is a worldwide unique, multifaceted human rights law programme. Participants learn both the theoretical and trial skills necessary to prepare for a career in defending human rights. Over the course of three weeks and guided by distinguished professors and practitioners, students take classes focused on human rights law, author a hypothetical appellate brief and participate in a prominent moot court competition. The Academy is limited in size to ensure a real student and faculty interaction and includes lunch-time seminars, excursions to the United Nations in Geneva and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
For any queries you may have about your studies, please write to: international@unilu.ch. For inquiries about the Lucerne Academy for Human Rights Implementation, please reach out to lucerne-academy@unilu.ch. For further consulting, please get in touch with the academic student advisors at: studienberatung-rf@unilu.ch.
The Faculty of Law of the University of Lucerne cooperates with partner universities in Europe and around the world and seeks to develop and nurture a dynamic and global studies environment. To this end, we have an extensive network of faculty and student exchange partners with a truly global reach – currently involving 46 institutions on 5 continents.
For Lucerne Students
Our local students can get great “international” experience already “at home” by engaging more actively in the advanced master level courses offered in English, as well as in double degree programme offered together with the University of Neuchâtel.
Our international studies portfolio is complemented by the possibility to earn a double degree from the University of Lucerne and a foreign university. Currently, the Faculty of Law at the University of Lucerne offers international double-degree master’s programmes in cooperation with the following universities:
- University of Texas at Austin (USA)
- University of Notre Dame (USA)
- Singapore Management University (Singapore)
- University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
The Faculty of Law offers two scholarships of CHF 25’000 to support students pursuing a double degree.
Overall, we do strongly encourage our students to use the incredible international offer that we have, to go abroad and spend a semester in our partner universities – for instance, in Wollongong or Tasmania (Australia) or in Sheffield (UK). This will not only boost their careers and give them a competitive advantage at the job market but will also enrich their personal experience, language skills and enhance their overall competence as lawyers and global citizens.
Take a look at our partner universities in Europe and in the rest of the world and make your choice. Check the important dates and information offered here and use the excellent guidance and services offered by the Faculty of Law and the International Relations Office.
For International Students
Situated in the middle of Europe and best connected in all travel networks, the University of Lucerne is not only a superb place to advance your legal studies but also a good starting point to explore Switzerland and Europe.
We offer a high quality academic programme in English and a wide variety of courses that lets students choose and tailor their studies. As a small University, Lucerne offers a closely-knit international community and excellent student supervision. The administration is smooth and unbureaucratic; everyone is well taken care of and integrated into university life with great sport and free time offers. Please, also note that the University of Lucerne offers scholarships to support incoming exchange students.
The feedback from our international alumni has been nothing but highly positive, and our international team is only working to sustain and improve the academic and extracurricular experience of our international students.
