We started the day with a tour of Museum Het Schip, exploring the rich architectural and social history of Amsterdam. It was the perfect setting for the students to get to know each other and engage with the city’s cultural heritage. After an inspiring tour, the students headed back to the VU campus, where they participated in a faculty programme with students from other Master’s programmes.
In the afternoon, we hosted a meet and greet with the students and our Amsterdam Centre for Migration and Refugee Law (ACMRL). This was a good moment for the students to connect with their professors and fellow students. Janna Wessels led us through our identities as migrants or members of a migrant family and reflected on what this means to us. Some members shared their experiences of being a former masters student, participating in internship opportunities or their current PhD research. Other members of the section presented the important Migration Law Clinic, the Verblijfsblog and the work of our centre.
The day concluded with a dinner at Professor Hemme Battjes’ home, where students, faculty and ACMRL members shared a meal in a cosy, informal atmosphere. It was a wonderful end to a day to start our new academic year and we are looking forward to seeing our students start the programme and become part of the IMRL community.