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The Faculty of Law is looking for a full-time doctoral scholarship holder in the field of constitutional law.
Position
- You work actively on the preparation and defence of a PhD thesis within the research group Government & Law. The subject of your PhD thesis is the added value of the Legislative Section of the Belgian Council of State: the black box of constitutional law.
‘[We] need an independent legal service to make it clear that the Constitution or international laws are not a rag of paper’, stated a 2022 Tweet by a future Flemish Minister in response to a Constitutional Court judgment. But what about the Legislative Section of the Belgian Council of State? It has shown itself to be the so-called ‘black box’ of Belgian constitutional law since (1) few people understand how it functions and (2) in order to spot why a rule ‘crashed’ one should consult the Council’s advisory opinion. The project will apply an in-depth legal doctrinal and comparative research into the added value of this judicial body supplemented and enriched by empirical insights via coded advisory opinions and interviews. For more information on the specifically designed project, please contact Prof. dr. Cedric Jenart via cedric.jenart@uantwerpen.be.
- You publish scientific articles related to the research project in a wide sense.
- You will carry out a limited number of teaching and research support tasks and service duties within the Faculty of Law, and in particular within the research group Government & Law (e.g. sitting on committees or councils and exam supervisions).
Profile
- You hold a Master degree in law or you will have obtained it by the time you start work.
- You can demonstrate excellent study results, or otherwise demonstrate your research competence.
- Your teaching competences are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision.
- Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
- You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.
What we offer
- We offer a full-time PhD scholarship for a period of 1 year. After a positive evaluation, the scholarship can be extended for additional periods of 1 year, up to a maximum of 4 years in total.
- The planned start date is 1 September 2025 (earlier or later appointment is possible by mutual agreement).
- Your monthly scholarship amount is market competitive and calculated according to the scholarship amounts for doctoral scholarship holders.
- You will receive ecocheques, Internet-connectivity allowance, and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
- You will do most of your work at the Stadscampus (city campus) in a dynamic and stimulating working environment. There is flexibility for remote working from within Belgium.
- Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here.
Want to apply?
- You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including 28 April 2025 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on the 'Apply' button and complete the online application form. Be sure to include the following attachments:
- a motivation letter;
- a detailed account of your study results;
- your academic CV;
- a short memo (approximately 3 pages) on the role, added value and future of the Belgian Council of State Legislative Section as judicial advisory body. The purpose of the memo is to gauge your research (design) skills, to illustrate your critical reflection and to demonstrate your writing skills. In the memo, you tackle the following questions:
- State of the art: What do you know about the Belgian Council of State, Legislative Section? What is the extent of its competences? How could it be compared to other types of judicial advisory bodies?
- Research objectives: What could be the goals of gaining a thorough understanding of this body and its competences in light of constitutional principles? Which possible research questions could you formulate?
- Methodological analysis: What research methodologies could you use and how?
- Work plan: How would you go about developing this research further? What sources would you consult? What are some risks or challenges of the research and how could you anticipate them?
- The selection committee reviews all applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision is made, we will notify you. If you are still in the running after the pre-selection, you will be informed about the possible next step(s) in the selection procedure. Please note the following dates in your calendar: 12 May or 14 May 2025 (selection interview).
- If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions or send an email to jobs@uantwerpen.be. If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact Prof. Dr. Cedric Jenart, cedric.jenart@uantwerpen.be.
The University of Antwerp received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award for its HR policy. We are a sustainable, family-friendly organisation which invests in its employees’ growth. We encourage diversity and attach great importance to an inclusive working environment and equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse characteristics to apply.