No. While our community consists primarily of early-career scholars, the ELS Academy organizes events and workshops for anybody who is interested in Empirical Legal Studies and is eager to learn theories and methods associated with empirical legal research. It does not matter whether you are a PhD student or a full professor. Everyone is welcome to register and to attend the workshops offered.

Yes, participation in the ELS Academy’s workshops and events is currently free of charge. During the sector plan years, the Academy was funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science. Now that the Law Sector Plan has come to an end, the partner universities contribute financially to help sustain the ELS Academy’s activities. We consider it important to offer research training without cost. We, however, do ask you register for events and workshops.

The ELS Academy offers three types of training events: faculty events, ELS Academy events, and graduate school courses. The registration for faculty events takes place through organizers of the respective faculties; for ELS Academy events through our website; and for graduate school courses through the respective graduate schools. You can always find the relevant links to register on the ELS Academy website.

You do not need to be employed by one of the ELS Academy’s partner universities to be able to participate in the Academy’s events. Staff from all universities in the Netherlands are welcome to participate in ELS Academy events. An exception is the graduate school courses for PhD candidates because of limited spots available.

Yes, you are welcome to attend the ELS Academy’s events and workshops, but some parts of our research training are targeted specifically at PhD candidates or post-PhD researchers.

You can join any ELS Academy event at any time. It is not necessary to attend the kick-off event to be able to register for other events we offer. Our community is continuously growing! You are always welcome.

Absolutely! The ELS Academy is all about collaboration and exchange. Our goal is to make ELS events organized by the various universities accessible to all. Hence, if an event is organized at, say, Utrecht University, it does not mean you need to be employed at or affiliated with Utrecht University in order to attend. In some instances, this may, however, mean that the registration for the event is arranged through the organizing university.

The ELS Academy is a research school for all scholars interested in empirical legal research: both aspiring and more advanced ones. Our events are about learning new skills and methods. We offer both the introductory and more advanced courses. In the case of more advanced courses, this will be indicated in the course description.

Currently, the ELS Academy does not issue certificates or proof of attendance.