Enjoy a free lunch while EUR-researchers talk about their research. During this CLI research lunch PhD candidate Pieter van Lamoen will talk about professional identity, sense of belonging, and academic success of first-year students at Erasmus School of Law. And Associate- and Assistant Professor Nina Holvast and Willem-Jan Kortleven talk about professional identity formation at Erasmus School of Law: experiences of law students with different backgrounds.
Professional identity, sense of belonging, and academic success of first-year students at the Erasmus School of Law
Presentation 1 (15 minutes) | By Pieter van Lamoen
Besides being a challenging educational transition, the transition to higher education can be understood as a major career transition that constitutes the start of students’ professional identity development in particular fields. In this research project, the development of students’ professional identity during the first year in the Erasmus School of Law, and whether this development was influenced by sense of belonging in the study programme and by teachers as professional role models was examined. Furthermore, they examined whether students’ professional identity and sense of belonging influenced their academic achievement. During this session, Pieter will present the first results of this research project.
About the speaker
Pieter van Lamoen is PhD candidate at Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences. In his PhD-project, Pieter studies diversity and inequality in the transition from secondary to higher education, with a focus on first-generation students and students with a migration background. More specifically, he is interested in the role of social interactions during the transition period and ways in which universities can organize inclusive support for first-year students.
Professional identity formation at Erasmus School of Law: experiences of law students with different backgrounds
Presentation 2 (15 minutes) | By Nina Holvast and Willem-Jan Kortleven
In law school students become socialized in the norms, values and reasoning practices of the legal profession. In this process they form a (new) professional identity. However, for several students – especially those with a non-traditional background – this process may also result in dissonance with their personal identities. Providing students with a proper preparation for entering the profession and at the same time minimizing identity dissonance and fostering diversity and inclusion is a complex task.
One of the focus points of Nina and Willem-Jan's research is how students experience the processes of professional identity formation they are involved in and how their identities and views develop during their years in law school. They are especially interested in the extent that law students experience identity consonance and how they cope with identity dissonance. For this research they are conducting a longitudinal study in which they interview law students multiple times during their BA at Erasmus School of Law. They supplement these data with results from focus groups with 3rd-year bachelor students and master students.Â
About the speakers
Nina Holvast and Willem-Jan Kortleven are Associate- and Assistant Professor at Erasmus School of Law. In their research they use empirical methods to study the law in action. One of their shared interests is studying legal education and how it prepares students for a career in legal practice. They have been awarded a CLI Fellowship for two years, starting 1 January 2022.Â
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Date: Thursday 19 January
Time: 12:00 - 13:15
Location: Erasmus Education Lab
Entrance: free (including lunch)Organised by the Community for Learning & Innovation
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