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M-EPLI Education

M-EPLI fellows are involved in teaching private law courses at both bachelor and master level. These course focus on national law, comparative law as well as on European private law. Besides teaching,  M-EPLI fellows are also heavily involved in the coordination and further development of these courses. In this way students can benefit from M-EPLI’s research. Some students also participate in one of M-EPLI’s student projects.

M-EPLI Education Block
  • M-EPLI PhD programme
  • Support for student projects

M-EPLI PhD Programme

Almost all education at M-EPLI centres around PhD research. M-EPLI welcomes PhD-researchers from around the world, with senior-researchers and PhD-researchers from different nationalities and an academic atmosphere defined by the fact that many of our members have worked abroad.

At M-EPLI, the working language is English: all seminars and conferences and theses are in English. English is also largely the language of casual conversation, coffees, and lunch. Maastricht is an internationally oriented town: you can get by with English at most businesses and throughout your daily life.

M-EPLI PhD programme

  • Programme content

    The normal duration of a PhD-contract is 3-4 years, at the end of which you will defend your thesis and receive the title of Doctor. You will also have to attend relevant courses offered by the Ius Commune Research School (of which you will become a member) and the Maastricht Graduate Law School. In addition, your participation is required in M-EPLI activities. Apart from your membership of M-EPLI, you will also become a member of one of the Faculty of Law’s departments.

  • PhD's are employees

    In most countries, a doctoral candidate is considered a student who studies. But in the Netherlands, PhD candidates are traditionally researchers employed by a university to complete a dissertation or thesis. These jobs allow you to complete your PhD degree while earning a salary and without paying tuition fees, and are highly competitive. Your research will be conducted on the topic specified in the vacancy and in conjunction with a faculty, research institute or research school.

  • Qualifications & application

    PhD-researchers at M-EPLI are passionate about legal academia and have a broad interest in various areas of law. If you are highly motivated and well qualified, we are always interested in receiving your CV and a sample essay or research proposal. You can get more information by contacting one of M-EPLI’s members or by sending an email to mepli@maastrichtuniversity.nl. We can also arrange for an informal meeting with one of M-EPLI’s current PhD-researchers.

Student projects

As part of the UM-wide commitment to incorporate research into every level of education, M-EPLI welcomes bachelor’s and master’s students to conduct research projects related to various aspects of European private law. This can take different forms, from writing a bachelor or master thesis with one of M-EPLI’s staff members, preparing a PhD research proposal, or working as a research assistant or student-assistant.

For more information, please contact one of us
or send an email to mepli@maastrichtuniversity.nl.

M-EPLI Student Projects

Meet Madalena Narciso and get to know her story on doing a PhD at M-EPLI