International Relations
International relations and exchanges have a long tradition in the Leuven criminology and have been particularly emphasized since 2007 by LINC, the Leuven Institute of Criminology. This new institute has in fact explicitly adopted an international perspective and approach and aims to contribute significantly to the international academic debate on crime and crime control and to evaluate and influence policy-making on justice and home affairs not just in Belgium but also at the European level and globally.
LINC’s international perspective emerges first of all by the growing number of foreign researchers and professors working at the Institute. LINC staff members are involved in a multiplicity of international research projects with partners in all continents. An overview of such projects can be found in the list of projects coordinated by the LINC professors.
In addition, LINC also has formal cooperation agreements exclusively for criminology with several foreign institutions, thus enabling exchange of staff and students on a regular basis. Besides these cooperation agreements, LINC also takes advantage of the wide network of cooperation agreements of the Faculty of Law, which encompasses numerous foreign institutions.
Leuven criminology’s international profile has also been raised by the conferment, in February 2008, of a K.U.Leuven honorary doctorate to Prof. Dr. John Braithwaite (Australian National University), one of the most eminent criminologists and social scientists of contemporary times. LINC staff members suggested Braithwaite as a candidate and are very proud that Braithwaite was selected by a university-wide selection committee for the highest honour that the K.U.Leuven can confer.
Some of LINC’s international activities are presented with some detail in the three sections below.
Visiting or doing your PhD at LINC
LINC invites regularly foreign scholars and policy-makers for guest lectures and study periods. In addition to numerous guest lecturers, three scholars are invited each year within the Global Law School Programme of the Faculty of Law to spend 4 to 6 weeks at LINC. Find out more about the application procedures and the recent guests of LINC on 'Visiting LINC'.
LINC professors also provide guidance to a growing number of international students writing their PhDs at the Faculty of Law, other K.U. Leuven Faculties or elsewhere. We strongly encourage motivated students to contact us. Read more on 'Doing your PhD' about the application procedure and process to become a PhD-student.
Studying Criminology in Leuven: information for incoming students
LINC also actively recruits foreign students for its one-year English master program in criminology, which is offered since September 2007. This webpage is an extensive source of information about the English master program and student life in Leuven. Moreover, the site will guide you through the enrolment and possible visa procedures, the planning of your trip, the costs and all practical issues to be dealt with by incoming students so as to make your journey and first days of your stay in Leuven more pleasant and easier.
Studying Criminology abroad: information for outgoing students
Master and, to a more limited extent also bachelor, criminology students of the K.U.Leuven can spend a semester abroad in any of the universities with which the Faculty of Law has formal cooperation agreements for criminology and have the credits obtained abroad recognized here in Leuven. This webpage will provide you with all the details (only available in Dutch).