Senior Lecturer in Law

I joined the Department of Law and Finance as Lecturer in Law in January 2022. Before this, I was a Visiting Lecturer in the Department. I am also an OISC Level 2 (Asylum and Protection) Adviser and Coordinator of the Refugee Legal Assistance Project (RLAP).

I hold a master’s degree in European and International Studies from the University of Trento. During my master’s, I further enriched my experience by spending a period of my studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I am currently in the last stage of my PhD, researching refugee family reunification as a safe and legal route to international protection in Europe.

My research interests lie primarily in the field of public international law, with a particular focus on international refugee law and international human rights law.

I have always dedicated as much of my free time as possible to volunteering activities related to my studies and research interests, starting with the experience as a volunteer in a Young Offender Institution in Treviso (Italy) between 2010 and 2013.

Since my interest in refugee-related issues started to grow, I turned to volunteer experiences in refugee-support services – in particular, in Treviso (Italy) at Caritas Tarvisina between 2014 and 2015, and in Jerusalem at the Jerusalem African Community Center between 2016 and 2017.

This culminated in my experience at RLAP, which has allowed me to develop a deep understanding of UK immigration and asylum law.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in International and European Studies – University of Trento

Teaching Expertise

• Public International Law
• International Human Rights Law
• Immigration and Asylum Law
• Public (Constitutional and Administrative) Law

Research Interests

• Safe and legal routes to international protection
• The protection of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers’ rights
• Durable solutions for refugees

Publications

• Families Together report: S. Borelli, F. Cameron, E. Gualco and C. Zugno, Refugee Family Reunification in the UK: Challenges and Prospects (2021)

Conferences and Presentations

• 2021 – ‘Family Reunification for Beneficiaries of Subsidiary Protection: Are States’ Restrictive Policies Justified?’, Ghent University & University of Antwerp International Conference, Ghent University, 9-10 September 2021
• 2020 – ‘Refugee Family Reunification in Europe: A Safe and Legal Route to International Protection?’, Leicester Law Postgraduate Research Conference, University of Leicester, 16 June 2020

External Roles

• Member of the Society for Advanced Legal Studies (SALS)
• Member of the Society of Legal Scholars (SLS)
• Member of the Socio-Legal Studies Association (SLSA)

Other References

• LinkedIn

Contact Details

E: claudia.zugno@beds.ac.uk