Co-sponsored by Hofstra Law School and University of Baltimore School of Law with the Erasmus University Rotterdam Faculty of Law hosted by the University of the Netherlands Antilles.
Approved by the American Bar Association
About the Program
This annual, winter-term Program in Comparative and International Law in Curaçao provides a new perspective on the American legal system in an international context. Through an intensive, three-week course of study in international and comparative law, the Curaçao program will help prepare you to practice law in the globalized world economy by equipping you to address international legal problems that arise in theory and practice. You will be exposed to foreign legal institutions of the Americas and Europe, and you will experience the unique legal and social culture of Curaçao, which reflects strong African, Caribbean and European influences.
Curaçao is part of the Netherlands Antilles, a group of five Caribbean islands that also includes Bonaire, St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius. The island is near Aruba and the coast of Venezuela. The Caiquetios of the Amerindian Arawaks originally settled Curaçao about 6,000 years ago; while the Spanish arrived in the late 15th century, the Dutch later claimed the island in the 17th century. These rich historical and cultural traditions make Curaçao a unique multicultural legal and social environment governed by Dutch law.
The University of the Netherlands Antilles was founded in 1979 and is located in a suburb of Willemstad, the capital of Curaçao. Willemstad's colorful architectural heritage has earned the city a place on UNESCO's World Heritage List. In addition to the official language of Dutch, residents speak English, Spanish and Papiamentu, a local Creole language.