Academic Assistant - European Legal Studies Department - College of Europe in Bruges
Short summary
The Department of European Legal Studies is seeking applications for the position of Academic Assistant (100 % FTE) for the forthcoming Academic Year 2026-27, with a starting date of 17 August 2026.
About the College: Welcome to the laboratory of European integration
The College of Europe is the oldest postgraduate institute of European studies, with campuses in Bruges (est. 1949), Natolin/Warsaw (est. 1992) and Tirana (est. 2024). Across the campuses, and under the motto of “studying and living Europe together”, the College hosts every year approximately 500 students of over 50 different nationalities, pursuing advanced Master’s programmes with a duration of 10 months in a residential format.
Centred around its core educational activities, the College of Europe has the mission to contribute to the construction of Europe and to good relations between the European Union and its international partners. All staff members contribute to the College mission with professional dedication, a spirit of pro-active collegiality and mutual respect.
For more information about the College, please visit our website.
For more information about the Department of European Legal Studies, please visit this page.
The Role
Based in Bruges, the Academic Assistant will be working under the direct supervision of the Director of Studies and in close cooperation with the other staff members of the Department.
The main tasks and responsibilities of the Academic Assistant will include:
- Assisting professors (e.g. organisational back-up, compiling reading lists);
- Teaching (e.g. giving tutorials, assisting the supervision of Master’s theses, coaching &Moot Courts) and being the interface between professors and students;
- Contributing to the departmental organisation (e.g. departmental administration, guest lectures, conferences, participation in the selection of prospective students);
- Conducting own research and academic writing.
Your Profile
For the position of Academic Assistant, the College is looking for candidates with:
- An LLM Degree in European Law with excellent result (Summa cum laude or College of Europe degree with mention “very good” or “excellent”);
- A very good command of English and French;
- The ability to work as part of a team;
- An interest in teaching and research;
- Good organisational skills;
- A high measure of flexibility (working hours can include evenings or weekends).
A degree of familiarity with the College of Europe would be considered an asset.
Our offer
- An excellent academic setting;
- A pleasant and stimulating international working environment;
- An employment contract under Belgian law of definite duration (and renewable);
- A competitive remuneration;
- A comprehensive benefits package including the legal holiday pay and an end-of-year bonus, meal vouchers, a transportation allowance, hospitalisation insurance, and a group insurance;
- Legal holidays plus two extra public holidays (9th of May and 11th of July) and eight closing days during the winter break;
- A telework policy (up to two days per week) and allowance;
- An invaluable opportunity to contribute to a renowned project of European integration.
How to apply
Applications in English or French, comprising a detailed CV, transcripts and a motivation letter (max. 1 page) should be submitted by 1 June 2026 to Prof. Dr. I. Govaere, Director, Department of European Legal Studies, College of Europe at inge.govaere@coleurope.eu, mentioning “Application – Academic Assistant LAW Department” in the subject line.
Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview which will take place in Bruges on 16 June 2026.
Envisaged start date: 17 August 2026
For further information on the position, please contact inge.govaere@coleurope.eu;
For HR related questions, please contact Julie Favril, HR Co-Director at recruitment.be@coleurope.eu.
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By submitting your application, you consent to have your personal data processed for the purpose of recruitment and the specific position you are applying for. You acknowledge that your data, as well as data we receive from academic institutions we can contact for verification purposes, will be processed by the College of Europe, the members of the selection committee appointed by the College of Europe related to this recruitment process. All information will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and in line with the current data processing regulations. For more information on how we use the information you have provided and how to exercise your rights, please see our privacy notice for recruitment (https://www.coleurope.eu/privacy).
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The College of Europe is committed to equal treatment and opportunity. It aims to reflect the diversity of our society and to offer an inclusive work and study environment for all members of its community. Consistent with these goals, the Bruges campus has a zero-tolerance policy for any acts against the dignity and integrity of individuals, whether in the form of discrimination, bullying, harassment, stalking, violence, or sexual misconduct. Candidates are therefore recruited and selected on the basis of skills and experience, regardless of sex, age, ability, ethnicity, class and background, political belief, race, religion, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, culture, or any other grounds.