New course for the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee connects research, reflection, and professional practice
Leiden Law School has developed a new course for the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, bringing together scientific research and professional practice. The course starts on 5 February 2026 at the Centre for Professional Learning in The Hague.
The course Professioneel Vakmanschap in een Reflectieve Organisatie (Professional Expertise in a Reflective Organisation) has been devised by Maartje van der Woude, Professor of Law and Society at the Van Vollenhoven Institute. It builds on her research project Emotional Labour in the Borderlands which is funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO).
Background to the course
In the Emotional Labour project, Van der Woude studies how emotions, professional norms, organisational culture and social expectations come together in the day-to-day work of border police officers. These insights form the basis for the new course, which is designed for border police officers in all areas of their work: from border police tasks and surveillance and security to military policing and policy-related positions.
The course responds to current legal and social developments, including recent case law on ethnic profiling. These developments show that objective and verifiable selection criteria are very important for border police officers. At the same time, other factors, such as time pressure, uncertainty, technology and moral responsibility, also play a major role. It is precisely this broader context that is central to the training course.
The programme
The programme consists of six modules in which legal frameworks, ethical dilemmas, cultural sensitivity, procedural justice and data-driven working are connected. Course participants work with realistic examples from practice, reflection models and interactive working methods that invite critical reflection on one's own actions and on team and organisational cultures. The course emphasises that reflection and cultural awareness are not abstract ideals, but specific professional skills that contribute to effectiveness, legitimacy and trust.
Pilot
The course is taught over the period February to April at the Centre for Professional Learning in The Hague. This first version is a pilot which will be carefully evaluated afterwards. Based on the outcome of this evaluation, it will be decided how the course continue in a sustainable way and possibly be embedded more broadly within the training and professionalisation of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee.
The aim of the programme is to contribute to sustainable professionalism and to public confidence in government action. Translating scientific insights into the daily practice of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee will play a major role in achieving this.