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Odysseus4Refugees

Coordination Team


De BruyckerProf. Philippe De Bruycker (Coordinator and founder of the network)
is a lawyer specialised in European Immigration and Asylum Law, free movement of European citizens and comparative aliens law. He is teaching and researching in those fields at the Institute for European Studies of the Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium. He coordinates the Odysseus Academic Network for Legal Studies on Immigration and Asylum in Europe which he founded in 1999 with the support of the European Commission. To read about Philippe and his projects click here for an interesting interview. Click here to send an email to prof. De Bruycker.

LilianEvangelia (Lilian) Tsourdi (deputy coordinator) is an Assistant Professor and Dutch Research Council grantee at the Law Faculty of Maastricht University. She has received three prestigious research grants as Principal Investigator: a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship by the European Commission and VENI and Hestia grants by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). Lilian is member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Refugee Law published by Oxford University Press. She obtained her PhD from the Law Faculty and the Institute for European Studies of the ULB (December 2016). Click here to send an email to Dr. Tsourdi.

Nicole

Nicole Bosmans (Secretary of the Network) ensures the administrative coordination for all Network’s activities since its creation in 1999, such as conferences, publications, Summer Schools, certificate and research projects. She is the contact person for the Network and reachable at odysseus@ulb.be.

 

 

TRAINEES 

 

Giovanni Meledandri works as research and project assistant for the Odysseus Network since September 2023. He holds a Master’s degree in law from the University of Trento. He also holds LLM in international law at the University of Brussels, in which he wrote a master thesis on the legality of the agreements between Italy and Libya under international refugee law. He previously worked as a legal intern for Nansen an expertise center on international protection based in Brussels.

 

FORMER STAFF

Elona Bokshi  was Project Manager Researcher of the Network as well as Online Coordinator of the Odysseus Summer School. A senior professional with demonstrated experience in the field of (EU) asylum acquis and with good knowledge in several areas of migration management thanks to her professional experiences mainly with the International Organization for Migration( IOM),  European Council and Refugees (ECR) , Odysseus Academic Network and postgraduate studies. In addition, Elona managed several projects at ECRE and led its work to effectively ensure protection of asylun-seeking and refugee children. She is now involved in coordinating research work for the European Migration Network (EMN) and in full cycle project management for the Odysseus Academic Network. She is a long standing member of the Odysseus Coordination Team and has been leading annual Summer Schools programmes on EU immigration and asylum law/policies since 2008.

Simon Labayle (Researcher) holds Master degrees and an LLM in European Union law and in Philosophy of law, from Aix-Marseille Université (France) and the University of Ottawa (Canada). After completing them, he wrote a PhD analysing the European Union values, under the direction of Professor Rostane Mehdi (Aix-Marseille Université / France) and Olivier Delas (Université Laval / Canada). Afterwards, he joined the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgique) and the Odysseus Network to work on the OMNIA project. At the end of his contract, he will be hired at the European Union Court of Justice as a référendaire of the Tribunal. He also maintains his researching activity by staying linked to the CERIC (Aix-Marseille Université) as an associated researcher, and by participating to several international conferences.

DavidDavid Watt was Researcher and Project Officer for the OMNIA Project from the start of the project until the end of 2016. He holds a Masters degree from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in Public International Law. Before joining Odysseus, David previously worked as a Legal Intern for the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) as well as at the European Parliament. His research interests include asylum, human rights and refugee law, and sexual orientation issues in the asylum claim. After leaving Odysseus, David joined the UNHCR Bureau for Europe in Brussels.

Deborah Weinberg holds a degree in Public law from the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and an Advanced Master in Environmental Law from Saint-Louis University and the Catholic University of Louvain. She also obtained a Certificate in European law on Immigration and Asylum organised by the Odysseus Network for which she wrote her dissertation on the right to appeal in EU migration law. She worked as a lawyer specialised in migration and asylum law at the Brussels Bar and for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in West Africa. She also interned at the UNHCR and the Migration Unit of the European Commission. Since 2011, she works as a legal officer for the Belgian Federal Migration Centre, Myria.

 

FORMER TRAINEES

Isaac Brock Muhambya (Research and Project Assistant) is a PhD candidate in Law at the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL), and is a member of the European Law and Migration team (EDEM), part of the Charles De Visscher Center for International and European Law (CeDIE). In 2019, he completed a Master’s degree in International Law from UCL; in 2021, he graduated with a Master’s degree in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences from UCL. He holds a multidisciplinary certificate in Transitional Justice from UCL and ULB (2022). In the DRC, he worked as a Teaching and Research Assistant at the Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs (ULPGL) where he obtained his degree in Private and Judicial Law(2015). Since 2014, he is an Attorney at law in DRC. In his PhD research, he examines the circular migration of DRC nationals in Belgium, especially in light of recent legislative changes that could promote the circulation of qualified individuals.

Camille Chupin is a student trainee at the Odysseus Network. She recently graduated from King’s College London with a Bachelor in Politics and completed her degree with a dissertation on the politics of international relations and law. After this internship, in September 2022, she has started a master’s degree in international relations and humanitarian aid. 

 

 

 

Z. Nuri Hamid was Research and Project Assistant at Odysseus Academic Network from October 2021 to September 2022. She holds a Master’s Degree in Law from the University of Trento. In the past, she worked in several NGOs dealing with migration law. Her main research interests are focused on EU asylum law, asylum procedures and guarantees.

Caroline Leclercq holds a Master degree in law from UCLouvain as well as a Master degree in European law from the Institute of European Studies of the ULB. After her studies, she worked for the Odysseus Academic Network for Legal Studies on Immigration and Asylum in Europe. She practiced as an assistant for the Equality Law Clinic and the Refugee Law Clinic of the ULB. She has also worked as a jurist at the Belgian Association for the Right of Foreigners (ADDE). She is currently pursuing her doctoral research on refugee resettlement under the supervision of Professor Sylvie Sarolea (UCLouvain) and Professor Philippe De Bruycker (ULB). The objective of her thesis is to study the resettlement process as it is realised today, the problems that it poses regarding refugees’ fundamental rights and the possible solutions to set up a clear legal framework for resettlement. Caroline Leclercq is also part of the executive board of the Belgian Association for the Right of Foreigners (ADDE).”

Marco Paron Trivellato  was Research and Project Assistant for the Odysseus Network. He holds a Master’s Degree in Law from the University of Trieste and a Specialized Master in EU Interdisciplinary Studies from the Institute for European Studies (IEE) of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). In the past, he worked as Legal Caseworker at the Italian Consortium of Solidarity. Prior to joining the Odysseus Network, Marco was Research Assistant at EEPA – Europe External Program with Africa  and  Junior Policy Analyst at MPG – Migration Policy Group, where he contributed to the launching of the last version of MIPEX – Migrant Integration Policy Index. His main research interests are focused on migrant integration policies, asylum law, anti-discrimination law, socioeconomic inequalities and empirical analysis.

Romain Lanneau  was a research Trainee. He obtained his Bachelor degree in Political Science and Public Law at the University of Jean Moulin Lyon III. In Canada, at Queen’s Law School, Ontario, he studied a master in Public International law. In 2018-2019, Romain was research assistant at the Migration Law Clinic where he worked on two expert opinions to the CJEU (“Access to legal remedies against a visa refusal based on an objection of another Member State”) and the ECtHR (M.T. and others v Sweden (Appl no 22105/18). He obtained an LLM in International Migration and Asylum law from the University of VU Amsterdam. His master thesis focused on: “Assessing the Age of Children during the Asylum Procedure in Respect of Fundamental Rights Protection in Europe”.

Benedetta Lana  was a Student Trainee. She holds a Bachelor Degree in European Studies and French from King’s College London and she is currently in her second year of the MA Human Rights and Humanitarian Action at Sciences Po Paris, with minors in Migration Studies and African Studies. In the past, she has worked as an intern for the City of Turin in a multi-stakeholder urban resettlement project for migrants called Project MOI. She is specifically interested in the topic of displacement in urban settings and access to services in informal settlements. Her final thesis was a comparative study on migrants’ access to housing in France and Italy. Benedetta has also been volunteering for several years with associations lending legal support to asylum-seekers in urban camps, both in Turin and Paris.

Eugénie Delval   was a research Trainee. She holds a Master in Law degree from Université libre de Bruxelles (Master in public and international law). She was awarded the Prize Ganshof van der Meersch for the academic year 2016-2017 for her academic excellence in public law. As part of her studies, she pursued an exchange program at Université de Montréal, in Canada. From September 2017 to June 2018, Eugénie did an LL.M. at University of Chicago Law School, with the financial support of the Belgian American Educational Foundation. Upon her return, she was a Blue Book trainee at the EU Commission within the Legal Service (Justice-Liberty-Security team). She is also a teaching assistant at the law faculty of Université libre de Bruxelles. Click here to send an email to Ms. Delval.

Silvia Carta  was a Research Assistant for the OMNIA Project. She holds a Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Multi-Level Governance from the University of Padova. Her Master thesis focused on access to the territory of the European Union and legal entry channels for persons in need of international protection. Prior to joining the Odysseus Network OMNIA team, she worked as a research intern at the Max Planck Institute for International Law in Heidelberg. Alongside working with the OMNIA Project, Silvia is currently pursuing an LL.M in European Union Law at the Institute for European Studies (IEE) of the Université libre de Bruxelles.

Sofía Lucas Areizaga was a Research and Project Assistant for the OMNIA Project. She holds a BA degree in Law obtained in University of the Basque Country in 2013 and a Master of Laws in European Law obtained at the European Law School of Maastricht University in 2015. She is a PhD student in Constitutional Law at the Complutense University of Madrid. She has worked as EU Junior Policy Advisor at the Delegation of the Basque Country Government to the EU and recently, she has been a Blue Book trainee at the Legal Service of the European Commission and is part of a research team for the Basque Ombudsman on the reception of asylum seekers in Basque Country. During her studies and work, she has been especially focused on issues such as fundamental rights protection in Europe, data protection and migration and asylum law.

Evita Armouti was a Research and Project Assistant for the OMNIA Project. She holds a LL.M. degree in European and International Economic Law from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, while she currently attends the Advanced Master in Interdisciplinary Analysis of European Integration with a focus on Migration, Asylum  Law and Politics at the Institute of the European Studies of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). In the past, she has worked for the Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Frankfurt and in Berlin and as a Blue Book trainee at the Cabinet of the European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship. Before joining the OMNIA Project, she was working as a junior legal advisor with an UNHCR-implemented program in Greece.

Emma Bielschowsky is a Research and Project Assistant for the OMNIA Project. She obtained a Bachelor in Law from the University of Kent, where she assisted the Kent Law Clinic as a Student Coordinator in its pro bono case work. During her Erasmus programme at the University of Groningen in 2015, she assisted the editorial team for the University’s peer-reviewed Journal of European and International Law. In 2017 she obtained a Master’s in Public International Law, specialising in human rights, from the University of Utrecht where she also assisted the University Law Journal as an editor and marketing executive. In 2018, Emma worked as a legal research assistant at Child and Youth Finance International, and continues to volunteer as a country status researcher for the Red Cross (Spain).

Jonas Bornemann worked as a Research Assistant for the OMNIA Project and focussed primarily on its cooperation with the European Migration Network. Jonas holds a LLM degree from Maastricht University’s European Law School with a specialisation in European public law. Previously, he worked as a Project Assistant to the Berlin-based Think Tank The Progressive Centre and his research inter alia encompass the role of courts promoting a comprehensive fundamental rights regime in Europe. After his traineeship, Jonas pursued doctoral studies at the University of Konstanz, under the supervision of Odysseus Member Daniel Thym.

Valentin Lupetti worked as a Student Trainee for the Odysseus Network. holds a Bachelor in Political Sciences and English from University Lyon 2 Lumière. After a school year abroad at Saint Joseph University of Beirut in Lebanon, he is finishing his Master degree in Science Po Aix en Provence. His Master thesis focuses on knowledge brokering between Academic researchers and decision making on asylum and migration within European Union. Before Joining OMNIA project, he worked as research intern at the Lebanese Institute of Finance Basil Fuleihan in Beirut.

Laura Trigaux holds a Master’s Degree in Law from the Catholic University of Louvain where she specialized in EU law and human rights law. Her Master thesis focused on the Mediterranean migrant tragedy, analyzed in relation to the law of the sea, human rights and the international responsibility of States. Prior to joining Odysseus, she also completed an internship at the Legal Policy Office of OHCHR before joining the Odysseus team.

Angeliki Tsiliou worked as a Research and Project Assistant for the OMNIA project. She holds a LLM degree from the Maastricht University’s European Law School with specialisation in Public Law and Governance. Prior to joining the Odysseus Network Angeliki was a trainee in the Justice and Home Affairs Directorate of the Council of the European Union and a Protection Intern in UNHCR SO Lesvos, Greece. Currently, Angeliki is involved in the research activities at the JHA section of a consultancy company.

Elena Marati worked as a Student Trainee for the Odysseus Network. She holds a Bachelor Degree in PPE at Luiss University (Rome), which she brought to conclusion with a dissertation on the Ethics of Immigration. After her internship, she obtained a Master in International Security with a specialization on Migrations at Sciences Po Paris and she is currently a trainee at the European Parliament.

 

Rafael Boeynaems was an Assistant Trainee for the OMNIA Project. He holds Master of Laws degrees from the University of Antwerp and from King’s College London. For his first dissertation Rafael researched – whilst interning at the High Court of Jharkhand – internal migration due to land expropriation in India and for his second, the Hungarian ‘safe third country’ policy. He furthermore holds experience in international election observation as a coordinator of a mission and as an observer.

Polly Ruth Polak was Research Assistant for the OMNIA Project. A law graduate, she also holds a Master’s Degree in European Union Studies from the University of Salamanca and has carried out a previous legal internship at the Court of Justice of the EU. With the aim of becoming a University Professor, she was in her first year as a PhD student, writing a Doctoral Thesis on the legal impact of Brexit on the EUs Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, mainly focused on the consequences for the European immigration and asylum policy. After her traineeship at the Odysseus Network, Polly pursued doctoral studies at the University of Salamanca with the Cátedra Jean Monet Chair in EU External Action.

katharina-website-imagefinalKatharina Bamberg was Research and Communications Assistant for the OMNIA Project and was responsible for the organisation of the Odysseus Academic Network Conference. Prior to joining the Odysseus Network, she studied for an MSc in Global Migration at University College London (UCL). While at UCL, she organised the Migration Research Unit’s annual student conference that offered comparative perspectives on refuge in an international setting. Katharina’s Master thesis focused on refugee women’s decision-making in the context of their flight to Germany. She also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in European Studies from Maastricht University. After leaving the Odysseus Network, Katharina joined the European Policy Centre’s Migration and Diversity Programme.

James Kneale was Research and Project Assistant for the OMNIA Project. He has a degree in Law and French from University College Cork, Ireland and an LL.M from the College of Europe, Bruges. Prior to joining the Odysseus Network, James was a trainee in the Legal Service of the Council of the European Union (Justice and Home Affairs Directorate). His main research interests are EU constitutional law and fundamental rights. After leaving the Odysseus network, James went on to work for the legal service of the Council of the European Union.

gabrielfinal

Gabriel Almeida was Research and Communications Assistant for the OMNIA Project. He holds a LLM from Tilburg University where he graduated cum laude in 2015. Prior to joining the Odysseus Network, he was a trainee at the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, being responsible for monitoring the latest migration flows to the EU and for providing support research on relocation, ‘safe countries of origin’ and other asylum-related topics. His main interest is on the intersection between refugee law and fundamental rights. After leaving Odysseus, Gabriel joined the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE).

EimEimearear O’Neill holds a Master’s degree in Human Rights from the Central European University in Budapest and a Bachelor’s Degree in European Studies from Trinity College Dublin. Eimear’s Master’s thesis focused on access to asylum in the EU and Australia. Prior to joining the Odysseus Network, she interned with the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and the Anti-Trafficking Taskforce of the Global Network for Public Interest Law (PILnet). After leaving the Odysseus Network, Eimear moved on to work for Irish humanitarian and development organisation, GOAL.

zarinaZarina Rahman holds an LLB from University College London (UCL) and has been called to the Bar of England & Wales. Before joining the Odysseus Network, Zarina was a Legal Assistant at the European Council on Refugees and Exiles, responsible for monitoring developments in asylum law for the ELENA network and assisting with legal research and strategic litigation. After leaving the Odysseus Network, she moved on to work at a specialist barrister-led immigration law firm in London.

giulia.raimondoGiulia Raimondo was the Academic Coordinator for the 2016 Odysseus Network Summer School. She is writing a PhD in International Law at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva. She obtained her law degree from the Catholic University of Milan and her Master of Laws from McGill University, Montreal, where she specialized in human rights law. In Italy, she has worked as a trainee lawyer and volunteered with the Italian Inter-Municipal Social Service, offering legal and social assistance to asylum seekers.

TatianaTatiana Kistruga holds a Master Degree in EU Law from Law Faculty at the University of Strasbourg, France, and a European Legal Studies Master (LL.M) from the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium. Prior to joining the Odysseus Network, where she coordinated publications on the Odysseus blog and social media, she held various positions at the European Commission and at IOM’s Regional Office in Brussels. After leaving Odysseus, Tatiana joined a consultancy firm in Brussels focusing on Justice and Home Affairs projects.

JB

Jean-Baptiste Farcy graduated from law school at the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) in 2014. He then completed a LLM in international economic law at the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) before joining the Odysseus Network where he coordinated publications on the blog. After completing his traineeship, Jean-Baptiste started a PhD on economic migration at the Université Catholique de Louvain under the supervision of Sylvie Sarolea, member of the Odysseus Network.

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