The post-initial European Master in Law and Economics (EMLE) programme, which is coordinated by the Rotterdam Institute of Law and Economics (RILE), has recently been re-accredited according to the European Approach for Quality Assurance or Joint Programs. The European Approach is specifically intended for joint international programs and its intention is that the accreditation organizations in all countries in Europe adopt the accreditation decision taken by one of them.
This is a significant event. EMLE is in Europe only the second Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree Program (EMJMD) that is accredited via this European Approach, but the first EMJMD programme with a Dutch coordinating partner university that obtains re-accreditation this way. In addition, the total number of programs accredited under this new procedure in Europe as a whole is very small yet. Moreover, this is the first existing joint program for the Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organization (NVAO) that has been re-accredited through this procedure. The visitation panel that advised the NVAO to make a positive decision with regard to the quality of the programme "considered the EMLE program as and outstanding example of the European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programs".
EMLE can be proud of multiple successes. The previous re-accreditation took place in 2013 and then, the program was assessed as excellent, the highest achievable degree that existed at that time. In addition, EMLE was awarded the prestigious Erasmus + quality recognition as an EMJMD Program for the fourth time in June 2018 by the European Commission, which is valid until 2022. The accreditation now granted is valid until 2025.