Education, Organisation
Atelier classes to go ahead: Small-scale teaching as part of activating curriculum
We have an important milestone for Leiden Law School to announce! From September 2025, Atelier classes will form an integral part of the Kernvisie curriculum for the bachelor’s degree programme in Law. In the regular bachelor’s programme, starting in the second semester of the first year, students will attend one Atelier session in each course (except for the 3rd year during the fifth semester and the graduation phase). Now that the final decision has been taken to implement Atelier classes in our teaching, we are taking an important step towards providing future-proof, in-depth and activating legal education.
Why Atelier classes?
Atelier classes contribute in a specific way to one important goal of the Kernvisie: raising the academic and analytical level of the bachelor’s degree programme. This improvement is achieved through four pillars that are a key part of the Kernvisie and which the Atelier classes will focus on: 1) small-scale interactive sessions; 2) support in developing skills; 3) interdisciplinary education; and 4) interdisciplinary assignments.
Student: ‘The small-scale group setting creates a calm and focussed atmosphere in the classroom. You’re really engaged with your fellow students, so it’s much easier to work well together.’
From pilot to final structure
The aim of the successful Atelier pilot, which took place in the 3rd block of the current academic year, was to evaluate the content and organisational and logistical feasibility of this new teaching format. Students could take part in the pilot on a voluntary basis. We already learned several things throughout the pilot that ahead of the evaluation have already led to certain adjustments in consultation with the faculty bodies:
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Lighter workload for teaching staff: instead of six separate sessions for each course – from the perspective of teaching staff – in the new format only two Atelier sessions will be organised for each course.
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Fully integrated in regular timetable: the Atelier classes will be timetabled in the regular teaching weeks, therefore avoiding an extra burden outside the teaching weeks. The classes will be held within the existing teaching hours, so they will not have to be scheduled in the evening (19.00-21.00).
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Integration in education: from the perspective of students, each teaching block consists of five regular sessions and one Atelier session for each course, covering a period of seven weeks. The content of the Atelier classes assumes that students take all three courses at the same time to achieve actual integration of the course content. However, students who only take one or two of the three courses (for example as part of Tax Law or Notarial Law) can also take part.
For each block, the two Atelier weeks will be planned at a time within the seven weeks that works best for the teaching in that course. The character of the Atelier weeks and the format of the individual Atelier classes will also be coordinated at block level.
To illustrate, a teaching block can be structured as follows:
Weeks 1-3: Students attend regular classes in three courses, with lectures and regular tutorials in groups of around 30-34 students.
Weeks 4-5: Atelier weeks
- Start, for example, with an overarching lecture or video to introduce the topic.
- The tutorials for each course are split into two half tutorial groups: Group A and Group B.
- Group A attends an Atelier class in week 4, Group B in week 5.
- The Atelier weeks are completed, for example, with a joint lecture at the end of week 5
Weeks 6-7: Regular teaching resumes in the original group composition.
In the above example, weeks 1-3 and 6-7 remain regular teaching weeks. The structure of weeks 4 and 5 is what specifically changes for teaching staff. In the regular timetable hours, in each course two identical Atelier classes are taught for a half tutorial group: one in week 4 (Group A) and one in week 5 (Group B). This is a clear reduction in workload compared to the original pilot format when teaching staff taught six Atelier classes for each course. This also ensures better integration in the overall curriculum.
Follow-up and preparation
The full report of the evaluation of the Atelier pilot (a collaboration with ICLON) will be made available at the start of the new academic year. Besides what we learned about teaching, the report also highlights the administrative and logistical aspects and serves in part as a basis for the further development of Atelier teaching in the coming years. In the run-up to the implementation in 2025-2026, the relevant course coordinators and teaching staff will be informed in more detail and supported in the coming period in their preparations for Atelier teaching, both the practical organisational aspects and the content. The structure of the Atelier classes at block level takes account of the nature of the courses, the teaching effort required and the feasibility for students. Subsequently, the phased implementation for the 2nd year of the bachelor's programme will follow in 2026-2027, and for the 3rd year in 2027-2028.
Teacher: ‘I was impressed by the students’ level during presentations and discussions. Though you notice differences in abilities, it’s important that all students take part at least once.’
More information?
Would you like to learn more about Atelier? Please contact the Atelier coordinator Kristof Gombeer. For any questions related to the Kernvisie, please contact Michael Klos, Programme Director for the bachelor’s in Law.
Sign up, join in, get ahead!
Atelier teaching is one of the most important building blocks in a broader package of measures aimed at offering activating education in an in-depth and coherent curriculum as well as promoting academic success. Under the heading 'Sign up, join in, get ahead!’, this broader package will be implemented in the coming period.