Illicit Trade

The Summer School is designed for students in their final year of undergraduate studies, master’s students, and PhD students in Law, Political Science, International Relations, Economics, Social Sciences, or other relevant disciplines, who are interested in learning more about illicit trade. It is also designed for professionals working in governmental institutions, local authorities, or international and non-governmental organizations, who are seeking to deepen their understanding of current illicit trade issues.

It is expected that the participants have a sufficient command of the English language to actively participate in the discussions and to present their own work in English.

The learning objectives of the Summer School are that, upon completion, participants will:

1. Have foundational knowledge of key concepts associated with illicit trade.

2. Be able to utilize important contemporary investigative techniques, such as Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and Network analysis.

3. Have practical insight on best practice for local, national, and international institutions and stakeholders in their efforts to combat illicit trade.

4. Have access to a network of fellow peers, experts, and practitioners active in the field of illicit trade.

Workload

• Attendance of lectures: 5 x 4 = 20 hours. 

• Preparation for lectures: 5 x 2 = 10 hours. 

• Attendance of seminars: 5 x 2 = 10 hours. 

• Preparation for seminars: 5 x 1 = 5 hours. 

• Preparation for exam: 390 pages / 10 = 39 hours. 

Upon successful completion of the programme, the Summer School offers a Certificate of Attendance that mentions the workload of 84 hours (28 hours corresponds to 1 ECTS). Students can apply for recognition of these credits to the relevant authorities in their home institutions, therefore the final decision on awarding credits is at the discretion of their home institutions. We will be happy to provide any necessary information that might be requested in addition to the certificate of attendance.

Dr. Francesco Giumelli

Francesco Giumelli holds a Ph.D. from the University of Florence and is assistant professor in the Department of International Relations and International Organization at the University of Groningen. He has been Jean Monnet Fellow at the European University Institute and Fellow at the Kroc Institute of Notre Dame University. He wrote the ‘Success of Sanctions: Lessons Learned from the Experience of the EU’ with Routledge/Ashgate, and ‘Coercing and Constraining and Signalling: Explaining UN and EU Sanctions after the Cold War’ with ECPR Press. He also authored reports for the European Union Institute for Security Studies and the European Policy Centre among others and gave talks at various international think tanks, such as Chatham House, the German Council on Foreign Relations and the Italian Institute for International Affairs.

Dr. Tim Wittig

Tim Wittig holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of St Andrews, and is a senior research fellow at the University of Groningen. His research focuses on identifying and researching the social determinants of illicit trafficking, threat finance, and transnational organized crime, and how they intersect with other issues of international and environmental security.  He is the author of numerous publications on these topics, including the book Understanding Terrorist Finance (Palgrave: 2011). In parallel to his academic work, Dr. Wittig has extensive experience as a practitioner, having worked for several years in the NGO sector on counter wildlife trafficking initiatives, in the defense/national security sector on counter threat finance and related issues, and as a consultant to public, private, and charitable sector clients.  Prior to Groningen, Dr. Wittig has held a variety of university research and faculty positions, including at Johns Hopkins University, U.S. National Defense University, the University of Amsterdam, and the University of St Andrews.

Pim Geelhoed

Pim Geelhoed is associate professor in Criminal Law and Criminal
Procedure. He studied Law at Leiden University, and received his PhD
from that university in 2013. Since 2017, he has been affiliated with
the University of Groningen. He is an expert in European criminal law
and organized crime. His activities in teaching and research mainly
revolve around topics related to the Europeanisation of criminal law,
comparative criminal law and procedure, and prosecutorial
policy-making. He currently leads a research group focusing on illicit
trade, and regularly advises Dutch and European governments on
criminal law matters. Next to his academic work, he is an ad hoc judge
at the Court of Appeal in Leeuwarden, a member of the Meijers
Committee (a committee of experts in European immigration, refugee and
criminal law) and a member of the Steering Committee of the
International Association for the Study of Organised Crime.

To apply, kindly fill out the online application form. Please include the following documents with your application:

• CV
• Letter of motivation (max 1 page)

Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis until all available spots are filled. Therefore, we highly recommend submitting your application as soon as possible to secure your place in the program.

The last moment to apply is 31 May 2025.

- Participants who cancel more than 4 weeks before the start of the course are liable to pay 15% of the full course fee, unless the Summer School in question decides otherwise. 

- Participants who cancel within 4 weeks before the start of the course are liable to pay the full course fee, unless the Summer School in question decides otherwise.

- Participants who withdraw during the course are liable to pay the full course fee, unless the Summer School in question decides otherwise.