What happens to the law when people increasingly work and live across borders? Within a EUTOPIA initiative, VUB students and researchers are seeking answers to that question. Their conclusion is clear: traditional, nationally focused legal education is no longer sufficient in a world where employment and regulation are becoming ever more international.
From digital nomads to employees working in several countries at once, the labour market is undergoing profound change. This evolution raises complex legal questions at the intersection of employment law, taxation and social security.
Through the Connected Community “Law, The Final Frontier: Legal Challenges and Solutions for Mobile Individuals and a Changing World of Work”, students and academics from several European universities are mapping these challenges. What began as a collaboration between the VUB and the University of Ljubljana has grown into a wider network that includes partners in Lisbon, Gothenburg and beyond.
Law in motion
At the heart of the issue lies a simple reality: legal systems remain largely organised along national lines, while the world of work increasingly transcends national borders. “People today work under different employment statuses and in different countries simultaneously, and every legal system approaches these situations differently,” says Eleni De Becker, Professor of Social Security Law at the VUB. The result is a fragmented legal landscape in which rules may overlap or even contradict one another. It is precisely this complexity that makes the topic both highly relevant and particularly challenging for the lawyers of tomorrow.
Students as researchers
One of the distinctive features of this EUTOPIA collaboration is the way it brings education and research together. Rather than acting as passive participants, students play an active role in analysing this new legal reality. During a workshop in Brussels in March 2026, master's students from the VUB and the University of Ljubljana had the opportunity to present and refine their dissertation proposals. Working in small international teams, they exchanged ideas, provided peer feedback and received guidance from experts from different disciplines and countries.
This hands-on approach ensures that students not only acquire knowledge but also learn to navigate the complexity and uncertainty inherent in cross-border legal issues.
A new approach to legal education
The project reflects a broader evolution within EUTOPIA European University Alliance, where international collaboration and innovative forms of teaching play a central role. Through blended learning, short-term mobility opportunities and intensive workshops, students are encouraged to think beyond the boundaries of their own national context.
Beyond national borders
The collaboration demonstrates that the future of legal education is inseparable from internationalisation. By exposing students to different legal systems and ways of thinking during their studies, universities can provide a more realistic understanding of the challenges they are likely to face in their future careers. As work becomes increasingly mobile and interconnected, legal education must evolve accordingly. Projects such as this one show how international cooperation can help prepare the next generation of legal professionals for a rapidly changing world.