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Daniel Trup was awarded an LLM in International Law with International Relations with Distinction in 2005 and is now working with the United Nations Office of Administration of Justice in Nairobi, Kenya as Legal Counsel. Previously he had served with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) investigating human rights violations committed whilst Kosovo was under UN administration. Before that he worked in the Special Prosecutor’s Office at EULEX, the EU Rule of Law Mission, and in the Special Prosecutor’s Office in Sarajevo, Bosnia.
Have you been able to put what you learned at BSIS to use?
“Almost certainly. My main focus of my studies was in International Law. As a consequence this assisted me greatly in obtaining my first position as legal officer in the War Crimes unit of the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. My knowledge gained in the International Criminal Law course enabled me to understand the legal context by which I investigated war crimes, interviewed witnesses and then finally drafted the indictment.”
“My second role as Legal Expert in the Special Prosecutors Office of Kosovo dealt with Organized and Financial Crime was also assisted by my studies at BSIS. This time because I was able to demonstrate a wider knowledge of International Law within the context of the fight against organised crime.”
Do you think that BSIS is a good place to study international studies and if so why?
“There are a number of reasons why such a school offers an excellent place to develop a sound academic knowledge which can be later used in gaining excellent professional experience:
- The teaching staff were great. They were excellent lecturers and advisors and certainly provided me with knowledge that guided me in my future employment;
- The resources available both at the school and in the nearby university proved excellent tools for my studies and my skills in academic research were significantly enhanced by the opportunity it afforded me.
- The school, being in Brussels, allowed me to interact with many international and regional organizations. Having an understanding of how they worked and in many instances didn’t work proved to be immensely rewarding to my career development.”
Would you recommend BSIS to potential students and if so what would you tell them?
“Employers often look for candidates that can demonstrate excellent academic credentials together with experience of working in a particular field. No more so than in international employment. Studying in Brussels allows for the chance to obtain work experience in a chosen field and combine this with studying. BSIS provides this opportunity. Not in that it will give you employment just that its excellent academic work and its links to International Organizations through its guest speaker program allows for these connections to be made and opportunities to be forged.”