Using real-life cases as a basis for learning: experiences from Amsterdam and Zagreb

The aim of this chapter is to discuss the use of the case-study method and real-life cases in transferring knowledge about migration and asylum law to university students. The chapter focuses on two educational examples, the UNESCO Chair on Free Movement of Persons, Migration and Inter-Cultural Dialogue of the University of Zagreb and the Migration Law Clinic of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU University). Both examples are not only similar in that they use real-life cases as their basis but also in that they encourage students to become active participants in their own learning. Another common characteristic is that they focus on European migration law and the roles and impact of decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). In this context, education moves beyond the substantive rules and addresses the dynamics of law and the legal process. The examples demonstrate that education based on case-studies and real-life cases have much to offer to students, teaching staff and, where applicable, those actively involved in cases before the courts and tribunals, as it makes in-class discussions lively and meaningful to students.