Erasmus+ funding award supports links with prestigious law school in Colombia

Kent’s longstanding engagement with Erasmus+ continues to support international exchange

A new exchange agreement between Kent Law School (KLS) and Los Andes University, Colombia has been signed. The agreement covers PhD student and staff exchange; activity that will be supported by an Erasmus+ grant won by Kent.

University of Los Andes plays a central role within the academic community in Colombia and in Latin America as a whole (8th highest ranked Latin American institution in QS 2020 World Rankings).

Los Andes shares KLS’ critical, interdisciplinary approach to law and commitment to excellence in research and education; it is hoped that the exchange will establish long lasting avenues for research collaboration particularly in the areas of peace building and transitional justice

Dr. Luis Eslava, Co-Director of the Centre for Critical International Law within KLS, welcomes the new agreement:

It is extremely exciting to inaugurate the Erasmus+ programme. It will give Kent and Universidad de los Andes an opportunity to further consolidate their interinstitutional partnership while supporting a fantastic exchange programme that will benefit staff and doctoral students from both institutions. We are looking forward to receiving at Kent Law School our colleagues from Los Andes.

Head of Kent Law School Professor Lydia Hayes is also excited about the partnership:

The student and academic community at Los Andes is wonderfully vibrant and we are proud that the new exchange agreement further enhances our connections. We foresee many benefits for staff and students in Columbia and in Kent because of new opportunities for student placements, the exchange of knowledge and learning, and joint working on research in the social study of law.

Due to Covid-19, the exchange will commence online, with physical mobility taking place hopefully from Spring 2021.

The International Credit Mobility strand of the European Commission’s flagship Erasmus programme supports exchange with countries outside Europe. Under this strand, Kent has also won funding to support projects with Belarus, Georgia, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, and Thailand.

For further information about Erasmus+ funding awarded to the University to support exchange outside Europe, please contact Primrose Paskins (P.M.A.Paskins@kent.ac.uk) in International Partnerships.

Los Andes University is based in Colombia’s capital, Bogotá