Transnational Organised Crime (LAWS5231), is a joint LLB elective course at The University of Queensland offered annually in cooperation with the University of Vienna (Austria), the University of Zurich (Switzerland), the University of Cologne (Germany) and the University of Ferrara (Italy).
The joint Transnational Organised Crime program involves an international network of emerging and established scholars working within a structured research and learning framework to produce high-quality research outcomes on a topic of current, international concern.
The research is coordinated by professorial, mid-level and junior academic staff who guide and supervise undergraduate and postgraduate students who are engaged in research-based learning for academic credit.
Under the overarching theme of ‘transnational organised crime’, every year a specific research topic of particular significance is chosen by the programme coordinators and the host of the programme rotates between the participating universities. Previous courses include:
- 2018-2019 Wildlife trafficking (Vienna)
- 2019-2020 Organised crime, gambling, and criminal law (Brisbane)
- 2020-2021 Trafficking in firearms and weapons material (Zurich)
- 2021-2022 Decriminalisation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (Vienna)
- 2022-2023 Organised crime, criminal procedure, and prisons
- 2023-2024 Transnational organised cybercrime (Zurich)
A total of 18 students (six from each university) participate in and complete the programme for academic credit each year. The participating students are supervised by academic staff who coordinate the teaching component of the programme, guide the research process, supervise the participating students, and — supported by other experts and guest presenters — deliver training on presentation skills, academic writing, and critical analysis of the literature in this field of study. At the end of the student learning component, the academic staff compile, edit, and publish the research outcomes.
The objectives of this program are to:
- Foster international research and learning cooperation and build strategic partnerships;
- Produce research outcomes (including presentations, books, articles, and websites) on topics of contemporary significance relating to transnational organised crime in the fields of criminal law, criminology, criminal procedure, international criminal law, and associated fields;
- Train undergraduate and postgraduate students in presentation skills, research techniques, academic writing and publication in their field of study;
- Build linkages between undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students and academic staff, both locally and internationally, and create a continuous network of emerging and established scholars;
- Develop a recognised research capacity and an environment suitable for competitive grant applications and industry linkages;
- Promote higher research degrees;
- Enhance the undergraduate and postgraduate student learning experience.
Applications for this program are open from August each year and the teaching component runs from October through to early May, with the key teaching blocks taking place mid-February.
Students interested in undertaking this course should contact Andreas Schloenhardt for further information a.schloenhardt@uq.edu.au. Since numbers are limited, students will be selected through an application process.