Amidst a truly international atmosphere, studying in Brussels is both about focus and fun. Day-time campus life to vivid nightlife. From debates on international legal transactions to clubs, concerts and football.

Being Belgium’s capital and the heart of Europe, Brussels is a cultural melting pot with metropolitan allures. With its 1.1 million inhabitants, 31% of whom are of foreign origin, Brussels is the centre of international politics and business. Many of the EU institutions are based in Brussels, as are international institutions and multinationals, offering a wide range of career opportunities. It is one of those places where you’re bound to meet with tomorrow’s international law practitioners and leaders.

The Institute for European Studies (IES) is an academic Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence, a hub of cutting edge research and activities on EU in the international context. The IES is presided by the previous EU trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht. As a part of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), the Institute advances academic education and research in various disciplines, and organizes tens of events every year to policy-makers, scholars, stakeholders and the general public – the LLM students are encouraged to join as often as they can!

The LLM is thus hosted in a lively research setting that specifically explores EU institutions, policies and law within the context of globalization and global governance, including a focus on international institutions. The scholarly output of the LLM teaching staff forms a part of the robust research base of the Faculty and the IES. The latter has over its 14 years of operation produced some 900 academic publications. The wide expertise of the over 50 IES researchers is also at the disposal of the LLM students in the form of thesis co-promotion, guest lecturing and simply informal talks over coffee. The disciplines applied at the IES – law, social/political sciences, economics and communication sciences – offer possibilities for inter-disciplinary exchanges.