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Faculté de droit
At the University of Namur’s Faculty of Law, studying law is not just about acquiring theoretical knowledge. It is about learning to reason, argue, take a stand, and act as a legal professional in an innovative, stimulating, and student-centered learning environment that is closely connected to real-world practice.
On this page, discover the various active learning initiatives.
At UNamur, law is lived as much as it is learned
The Faculty of Law’s teaching philosophy is based on active and participatory methods that combine academic rigor with a pragmatic approach to law.
Legal Professionals at the Heart of Teaching
Attorneys, prosecutors, judges, legal scholars, and other legal practitioners contribute to most courses. Their involvement allows students to compare theory with practice and to ground their learning in the realities of the legal profession.
Supervised exercises in small groups
Practice sessions, organized in small groups and led by teaching assistants, allow students to delve deeper into the subject matter and solve practical cases similar to those encountered in professional practice. In these sessions, students develop their analytical skills, critical thinking, and ability to express themselves clearly and persuasively.
Mock Trials and Public Speaking Competitions
Students can participate in mock trials in constitutional law, criminal law, or human rights law. These simulations develop oral skills, legal argumentation, and public speaking abilities.
Each year, a public speaking contest also allows students to present a speech on a topic of their choice in a stimulating and educational setting.
Game-Based Learning: Using Games to Better Understand Contract Law
For several years now, the Faculty has integrated game-based learning into its contract law seminars for day-track students to promote active and engaging learning. Through a wide variety of activities—such as role-playing, card games, board games, and scenario-based exercises—students gradually discover and internalize legal concepts before applying them in collaborative activities. This approach not only boosts their motivation and participation but also helps them develop essential skills such as argumentation, legal analysis, and structuring responses.
Among recent initiatives is an educational “escape game” designed by the teaching assistants’ team. This online tool places students in the role of law clerks who, working in small groups, must solve a series of legal puzzles to demonstrate their mastery of the subject matter and gain access to the conclusions of a case locked in a law firm’s safe. It’s a creative and engaging way to prepare for the exam while reinforcing what they’ve learned in class!
Play to learn better!
A pedagogical approach structured around a common thread
Since 2022, the School of Law has chosen an annual theme that brings together the entire faculty community: students and faculty members from all tracks and programs.
This annual theme informs courses, assignments, and academic advising, as well as conferences and educational and cultural activities organized throughout the academic year. This collective effort gives meaning to the learning experience and fosters legal thinking rooted in major societal issues.
Some recent themes:
- 2026–2027: Peace, with the slogan “Peace & Law”
- 2025–2026: The environment, with the slogan “Let’s Re-enchant the Earth”
- 2024–2025: Inclusion, to enable everyone to find their place in society
- 2023–2024: Harassment in all its forms
- 2022–2023: Children & migration
Over the years, students are thus made aware of complex and current issues.
Personal Projects to Become a Lawyer
The program places a strong emphasis on written assignments, which enable students to gradually develop sound legal reasoning and gain an introduction to research. They are trained in the use of digital tools, including artificial intelligence, from a critical perspective that leaves room for human judgment.
- In the second year of the bachelor’s program, students complete a legal methodology project, supervised individually and in small groups by a teaching assistant. They learn to research, analyze, and apply legal sources.
- In the third year, the capstone project challenges students to address a substantive legal issue and a practical case, drawing on all the skills acquired during the bachelor’s program. Students enrolled in the day program have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience by participating in mock trials, moot court competitions in Belgium and across Europe, as well as legal outreach activities in high schools.
A legal internship for full-time students
During Block 3 of the bachelor’s program, the Faculty organizes a legal internship, which is treated as a full-fledged course unit. This internship provides students with hands-on experience in the professional world (as a lawyer, judge, notary, bailiff, or legal professional in the corporate or nonprofit sectors) through observation and participation activities supervised by an internship supervisor.
A teaching approach tailored to a staggered schedule
The UNamur School of Law also offers a bachelor’s degree program with a flexible schedule, designed for adult students with specific time constraints.
This teaching approach is based on:
- tailored course materials (audio and video clips, recordings of most classes),
- small-group exercises and practical simulations,
- individualized support for legal assignments,
- an academic coordinator dedicated to the flexible schedule,
- increased use of digital tools (WebCampus, Teams, Virtual Student Office),
- flexibility in exam scheduling,
- access to all of UNamur’s support services.