Olha Cherednychenko - Professor

The emphasis in this master's programme is on cross-connections between different disciplines and areas of law, such as law and philosophy, European and national law, public and private law, but also the empirical study of law

During the Master of Legal Research at the RUG, you will learn to think critically about the role of law in our society and how to formulate and answer research questions from different perspectives. This requires not only a thorough knowledge of law, but also a broad perspective that extends across various disciplines.

The emphasis in this master is therefore on cross-connections between different disciplines and legal areas, such as law and philosophy, European and national law, public and private law, but also the empirical study of law. That makes this Groningen programme unique. As a student, you should definitely choose the Master in Legal Research if you want to develop a broad view of law from various angles, are interested in an in-depth analysis of challenging issues and want to contribute to solving them.

Lecturer and legal scientist

What I like most about my teaching position is the interaction with Dutch and international students and PhD candidates and the freedom to determine for myself what my research is about. In my teaching position, as a legal scientist, I conduct in-depth research into what law is and should be. So I do not only study and describe law passively. I also actively participate in the debate about what law should look like. For example, how and to what extent should a financial consumer be protected in the digital age? To what extent should public law norms, such as fundamental rights and supervisory provisions, have an impact on private law? And what should the EU do in the area of private law with a view to sustainability, financial stability and other public interests? The search for answers to such questions makes legal research so interesting for me personally.

Advisory role for European and national institutions

In the context of my position at the University of Groningen, I regularly provide expert advice to European and national institutions. For example, I conducted research for the European Parliament and the European Commission in the run-up to the revision of the 2008 EU Consumer Credit Directive. The new Consumer Credit Directive that was adopted in 2023 reflects my main recommendations. I also recently advised the Financial Services Complaints Institute (Kifid) – a body for the out-of-court settlement of disputes between consumers and financial service providers – on its assessment framework. After consultation with stakeholders, including consumer organisations, financial industry organisations, supervisors and the Ministry of Finance, my advice was adopted by Kifid. As a legal scholar, you have a connection with and influence on legal practice.

Olha Cherednychenko is Professor of European Private Law and Comparative Law.