Education and Research in Roman Lawand Legal History 269 the so called propedeusis. At each law faculty a general course on legal history - which includes Roman law— is obligatory. Thereafter, most students spend three to five years before they take final examination. Then they can become master of law. During these last years, the students are offered wide possibilities of optional courses. In general at least one lecture on legal history — ineluding Roman law - should be chosen. In some universities specialised lectures in the history of private law, international law, penal law and so one are organised for the different specialities in positive law offered to the students. There is a much wider range in optional courses than there is in Belgium. In general, especially Roman law takes a much more marginal place in the Dutch curricula than it does at the Belgian law schools. The total amount of hours devoted to Roman law and legal history in general are somewhat 30 % less than in Belgium, so that legal history is not in se at such a disadvantage. By way of transition to research, it is fitting to add a few words on the training of academics who are preparing a doctoral thesis. Over recent years, there has been much to do in Belgiumand the Netherlands about this. Much to do about nothing ? Writing a doctoral thesis is of course one of the main instruments of research into Roman law and legal history. It should be innovative, creative and original. Of course, one can only subscribe to the ambition to make young researchers familiar with the research of their seniors and colleagues in their and other fields of expertise. It is however most distressing that the new programmes mostly come down to traditional and even elementary lectures or to general conferences on a debatable level. In this way, the new programmes tend to be more of an embarrassment than an enrichment. 2. Research in Roman law and legal history On the research level, the relations between Belgiumand the Netherlands, and especially between Llanders and the Netherlands are extremely good. The cooperation is even institutionalised. Lirstly, every two years a mixed BelgiumDutch conference is organised. Mostly junior scholars are invited to present their research projects and give a lecture. The conference became a meeting point where everyone can get informed about the ongoing research. Secondly, at Leiden there is the Belgian-Dutch centre for legal history, still led by Robert Feenstra. The reception of Roman lawis the main subject studied there. Thirdly, within the Royal Academy of Science, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium, there is a committee for legal history, led by Raoul Van Caenegem. The purpose of the Committee is to co-ordinate legal historical research by patronising projects and by analysing research in Belgium and the Netherlands. The
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjYyNDk=