International Business Law - Climate Change and Corporations Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Overview

Climate change threatens humanity. The purpose of law is to protect legitimate human interests. You want to join the new generation of lawyers who engage constructively with these problems. They see practicing law in the context of the wider developments in society -- such as climate change and sustainability -- as the way forward for the legal profession.

VU Amsterdam is the first university in Europe to offer an International Business Law degree that combines an outstanding, all-round Master’s programme in Business Law with a specific focus on one of the most complex legal challenges of our day: climate change.

During this International Business Law - Climate Change and Corporations programme from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, you will be seeking answers to highly important, yet complex, questions such as: What are the legal means to fight climate change? What rights and responsibilities do businesses and governments have in terms of sustainability? Can states be forced to bring their policies in line with the Paris 2015 Agreement? How can corporate law facilitate green startups?

Climate change provides a clear lens through which we can study a range of fundamental legal concepts. In the process of studying law and climate change, you will become an all-round lawyer. The programme concentrates on private law (company law, contract law and liability law) but will also address financial regulatory law, administrative law (European legislation in particular) and international public law.

Entering the job market

Students who successfully completed the programme have a wide range of career choices. They can work as professional business lawyers, in-house legal counsels for companies, government officials, corporate executives, legal professionals for an international (intergovernmental) organization, etc.

The alumni have jobs at, e.g., multinational companies, international law firms, banks and international accounting companies all over the world. Others pursue a career as a legal counsel in government institutions or international organizations. Some alumni choose to further develop their academic legal research skills by enrolling into a PhD programme at VU Amsterdam or elsewhere.