About the CPO
Focus on practice
All of the activities of the CPO are aimed at your daily professional practice and that of other legal professionals, for instance by calling on lecturers who have made their mark in terms of scholarship and who are also rooted in practice, by consulting experts from all disciplines through our sounding board and other groups, through the ties with the university, but mostly by our efforts – day after day – to meet your needs, taking into account current affairs and innovative developments.
Embedded in the University
The CPO forms part of the Law Faculty of the Radboud University, a general University situated in the city of Nijmegen. The Faculty staff have an outstanding academic reputation both in the Netherlands and abroad. The Business & Law Research Centre conducts high-level international research and has a reputation that stretches out far beyond the Dutch border. The CPO profits from the academic standing of the Faculty as staff are generally engaged in both course development and teaching. Legal developments are hence always analysed on the basis of the relevant theory. The focus, however, lies on legal practice. This is why the academics involved in developing and teaching our courses are always firmly rooted in law firms, courts, governmental organisations or enterprises. We hence guarantee that what you learn in today’s course is applicable in tomorrow’s practice.
Renowned lecturers
The CPO calls on lecturers who have made their mark as scholars and with a firm foothold in practice. When choosing a course the lecturer’s reputation plays an important role. Over 94% of our students are satisfied or even very satisfied about the lecturers the CPO calls upon. The CPO strives to take on an expert as lecturer for every subject.
Current affairs
For legal practitioners, being aware of the most recent developments is vital. The CPO is quick to pick up on changing legislation, case law and general social developments relating to legal issues. When recent developments so require, the content and programs of our courses are adjusted.
So-called ‘sounding board groups’, constituted by experts from academia and the practice, guarantee that courses and trainings connect to current developments. These groups will furthermore advise on target groups, learning objectives and lecturers that should be contacted. In addition, sounding board groups can give advice on the nature, level, working method and scope of a course.
Lastly, the participants evaluate each course on the basis of an evaluation form, which inter alia asks them their opinion regarding the relevance of the course program for their daily practice and its connection to current affairs. The forms are analysed by an independent external party.
Quality
As the CPO deems the instructional aspects of a course to be very important, a maximum of forty students are allowed per course. One the one hand this group size provides enough interested parties with the possibility to attend the course whilst on the other hand the students get maximum value out of the course, e.g. because there is more opportunity for interaction between students and lecturers. After every session our students fill out an evaluation form, which enables us to guarantee the quality of our courses. The outcome of the assessment enables us to adapt our courses, in terms of substance and organization, if necessary.
Excellent facilities
Quality and substance are of the essence in the activities of the CPO. But why not combine business and pleasure? The CPO strives to provide an optimal learning environment. We provide education at venues that are often centrally located, at a conference facility or in a hotel, with excellent facilities.
We expect a lot of ours students, and they work hard. The CPO is happy to offer you the chance to benefit from the pleasant ‘side effects’ of our courses by granting you ample opportunity for networking and relaxation. You will find yourself in ideal surroundings to meet professional peers and exchange knowledge and ideas.