European Doctorate in Law & Economics

Applications for the European Doctorate in Law & Economics (EDLE) programme are open until 1 February 2024.

This is one of the largest doctoral programmes in Law & Economics and Empirical Legal Studies. Five major European universities participate in the programme: the Erasmus University Rotterdam, the University of Bologna, the University of Hamburg, the University of Rennes and, as of this academic year, Charles University. 

The programme at the Faculty of Law of the Charles University is designed as a parallel study of EDLE and the local PhD programme Theoretical Legal Sciences - Law and Legal Theory in European Context. The first two academic years of the EDLE programme are devoted to full-time study of advanced PhD courses in Bologna, Hamburg and Rotterdam. Afterwards, the PhD student will transfer to one of the five partner universities to carry out his or her dissertation research.

The dissertation defence will take place at Erasmus University Rotterdam. This prestigious study is full-time. Five to six full scholarships and one to two part-time scholarships are available for the best candidates admitted to the programme. 

Students studying concurrently in the EDLE and PhD programmes at the PF UK are supported by a standard Czech PhD scholarship. Depending on available resources, academically strong candidates may receive an increase in their scholarship.

Admission to the programme requires a university degree, particularly in law, economics or a related social science. Applicants will be selected on the basis of past academic achievements and aptitude to carry out scholarly work in the field of economic analysis of law at a top international level. A good command of English is a must.

For more information, please visit the EDLE website, The EDLE coordinator for the Faculty of Law, Charles University is Assoc. Josef Montag, email: montagj@prf.cuni.cz
 

About Law & Economics 

The interdisciplinary disciplines of Law & Economics (Economic Analysis of Law) and Empirical Legal Studies have for many years made a significant contribution to expanding the frontiers of knowledge in the field of law, legal systems and their impact on human society. They focus on theoretical and empirical research on a wide range of legal issues. Examples include questions about the causes and effects of regulatory interventions, the actions of actors in private and public contexts, and issues related to law enforcement. These insights are permeating policy-making and practice in legal and economic advice around the world.

Economic law research methodology is grounded in methodological individualism - it studies and evaluates how law affects individuals' incentives and how people respond to them. In doing so, it deepens the conceptual understanding of the impact of law on human society. This research programme also reflects the latest findings in related disciplines such as psychology, political science, and sociology.