Law students Adeodata, Andreea and Nathan were awarded the Queen Mathilde Prize at the royal palace. The students convinced the jury with their project for law students with a migration background and won the grand prize of 10,000 euros.
The Queen Mathilde Prize is awarded each year to projects within a particular theme. This year, the theme was ‘working together to provide solutions to social issues’. For the three students, that issue is present in their own study programme. With ‘Diversity for Law Students’, they aim to preserve and strengthen diversity at the Faculty of Law.
There is little representation, for example, among the professors, but also in the cases discussed in lessons. It’s only natural to begin to question yourself: do I even belong here?
Lower chance of graduating
Research shows that students with a migration background have a 20% lower chance of graduating than other students. ‘And we find that very shocking’, master student Adeodata Kanyamihanda (21) says. ‘But we have experienced this ourselves within our study programme. You see diversity disappearing as the years go by. We all come from a migration background and often feel alone in class. There is little representation, for example, among the professors, but also in the cases discussed in lessons. It’s only natural to begin to question yourself: do I even belong here?’
Diversity for Law Students
The Diversity for Law Students project aims to maintain diversity at the Faculty of Law. They address specific needs based on their own experiences and those of other students. ‘We organise workshops for each phase to, for example, boost self-confidence, but also on how to use your own talents’, Adeodata says. ‘We realise it will be a difficult task to close that gap of 20%, but we still hope to make a difference.’