Migration Law Fundamentals

Dr. Sylvie Sarolea serves as Full Professor of International Law at Université catholique de Louvain while maintaining her practice as a lawyer. Her expertise spans multiple areas including refugee law, international immigration law, private international law, and human rights. As founder and coordinator of EDEM (European Rights and Migration Team) since 2011, she leads a team of researchers focused on European migration law and its implementation. Her academic leadership extends to roles as President of the Charles De Visscher Centre for International and European Law (2016-2020) and President of the Doctoral Commission in Legal Sciences (2017-2020). Beyond academia, she demonstrates commitment to practical application through her involvement in various humanitarian projects, including the Access2University Program for asylum seekers and the Henri Simonart Centre for Human Rights in South Kivu. Her work includes coordinating several interdisciplinary research projects like LIMA, GLOBMIG, and VULNER, while maintaining international partnerships in Canada, Morocco, and South Kivu. She currently directs the Legal Clinic Rosa Parks for Human Rights and leads the development of online education initiatives, including a Certificate in Transitional Justice and a Certificate in Asylum and Immigration Law.

Dr. Jean-Yves Carlier serves as Professor at both Université catholique de Louvain and the University of Liège while maintaining his practice as an attorney. His expertise spans private international law, European law, and human rights law, with particular focus on migration and refugee rights. His academic influence extends through visiting professorships at numerous prestigious institutions including Paris 2 (Panthéon-Assas), Strasbourg, The Hague Academy of International Law, and various universities across Europe and Africa. His scholarly contributions include significant publications on refugee law, European migration policy, and human rights, notably his work on asylum law and the rights of foreign nationals. As a key instructor in UCLouvain's International Law MicroMasters program, he co-teaches the Asylum and Refugee Law course, demonstrating his commitment to expanding access to legal education. His recent research examines the evolution of children's rights in European migration law, reflecting his ongoing dedication to advancing human rights protections through both academic work and legal practice.

Dr. Christine Flamand serves as Invited Lecturer at the Faculty of Law and Research Assistant at the Institut pour la recherche interdisciplinaire en sciences juridiques (JURI) at Université catholique de Louvain, where she has been a key member of the European Rights and Migration Team (EDEM) since 2017. Her expertise focuses on refugee and migration law, with particular emphasis on gender-based vulnerabilities and children's rights in asylum procedures. As Legal Advisor and Director of INTACT, she has made significant contributions to understanding how gender-based violence, particularly female genital mutilation, impacts asylum claims. Her recent work includes co-authoring research on the VULNER Project, examining intersectional approaches to migrant vulnerabilities, and contributing to the analysis of the Temporary Protection Directive's implementation for Ukrainian refugees. Through her research and teaching, she continues to shape discourse on migration law, particularly regarding the protection of vulnerable asylum seekers and the development of more inclusive asylum procedures that consider intersectional vulnerabilities.