PhD Informality in EU Migration and Foreign Relations Law or the Instrumentalisation of Migration in Europe

Are you a (nearly) graduated law student and do you want to start your university career as a passionate, enthusiastic PhD student? Then we have the job you are looking for. The Department of European and Economic Law at the University of Groningen offers you the opportunity to work for four years as a researcher within one of our research programmes.

As a PhD researcher, you will carry out independent scientific research under the mentorship of Dr Jonas Bornemann, Dr Viktor Szép and Prof. Dr Ramses A. Wessel.

What are you going to do?

You are expected to carry out research in one of the following broadly defined areas:

1. Proposals may focus on the growing use of informality in EU migration and foreign relations law. In EU migration law, informality has been used in recent crisis responses and informal "deals" are often preferred to formal international agreements. This research could assess the implications of such informal actions for the rule of law, governance, and accountability.

2. Alternatively, proposals may focus on the instrumentalisation of migration. The war in Ukraine has pushed the issue of migration instrumentalisation to the forefront of the EU’s political agenda, as Russia and Belarus have been accused of using displaced people as leverage to destabilise societies in the EU. Policymakers now frame certain migration flows not only as humanitarian crises but also as hybrid threats aimed at destabilising the Union. This has prompted the EU to harden its border policies and develop new legal tools to respond to perceived orchestrated movements of people. However, critics warn that such securitisation risks undermining the rights of individuals and exposing them to extreme hardship at the border.

You have:

• A completed Master’s degree, preferably in law and/or a related domain that is relevant to the execution of the research proposal.
• A demonstrable interest and expertise in EU constitutional law and/or EU migration law and/or EU external relations law.
• Eagerness to publish international articles and write a dissertation.
• Excellent research skills.
• Excellent command of English.
• Good social and communication skills.

• 232 vacation hours per year, based on a 38-hour workweek (1.0 FTE). You can also work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours. For example, with a 40-hour workweek, you save 96 extra free hours, and with a 36-hour workweek, you lose 96 hours.
• End-of-year bonus of 8.3% and 8% holiday allowance.
• Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.

The Faculty of Law is a broad-based faculty. Our community is characterized by an open and informal atmosphere and consists of approximately 4,500 students and 400 staff. We foster an environment that combines academic tradition and innovation, in a way that addresses national and international societal issues. Our research and teaching are groundbreaking, with special attention paid to current themes such as sustainability and energy, technological developments including AI, and the democratic rule of law. We prepare legal professionals to adopt a broad perspective, think critically, and adapt to a rapidly changing world. We place a strong emphasis on the development of both students and staff. We actively seek connection across legal fields and disciplines, and with partners within and outside academia. If you would like to learn more about the Faculty of Law, visit rug.nl/rechten. 

You will work at the Department of European and Economic Law of the Faculty of Law at the University of Groningen. Interviews are in principle planned on Wednesday the 28th of January 2026.

Do you have any questions or need more information?

Questions about the content of the job?
Ramses Wessel (Full Professor): R.A.Wessel@rug.nl

Questions about your application process?
Ryanne Meijer (Human Resources Adviser): ryanne.meijer@rug.nl