IN-CJ Newsdesk 2025 – Joris Colijin ‘Cross-Boarder Collaborative Learning
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The conversation with Joris Colijin for the IN-CJ Newsdesk 2025 offers a clear picture of how international partnership can support professional learning in criminal justice. Speaking as programme manager for the Master’s in Forensic Social Professional Practice at the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Joris describes how a simple introduction evolved into a shared learning experience between Dutch and British postgraduate students. The collaboration developed around an emerging module at De Montfort University, which sought to bring an international dimension into its teaching. By drawing the Dutch team into the design process, the two universities were able to shape a module that worked for both cohorts, even though it had a different status in each institution.
Joris explains how the structure blended online collaboration with in-person visits. Learners in both countries took part in guest lectures from practitioners and researchers working across the world, and then worked together to produce podcasts exploring topics of shared interest. These projects encouraged students to engage with contrasting legal, organisational and cultural contexts, and to reflect on what professional practice looks like when viewed from beyond one’s own jurisdiction. According to Joris, enthusiasm rather than obligation drove the work, and the joint groups quickly formed around common concerns and curiosity.
One of the strongest themes in the discussion is the value of encountering difference. Joris notes how experienced practitioners naturally rely on the norms and routines of their home systems, and how an encounter with a different country’s practices can stimulate fresh thinking. This applies as much to the educators as to the learners. Even small matters, such as the meaning of a reading list or the way credits are calculated, prompted useful conversations about expectations, purpose and academic culture.
The collaboration stands out because it is not a short conference-style exchange, but a sustained module built around shared teaching, joint supervision and collective assessment. The visits helped participants build rapport, but the online sessions gave space for deeper conversation and ongoing work. This mix of formats mirrors the wider IN-CJ ethos, where international engagement is not confined to set-piece events but is developed through relationships and repetition.
Looking to the future, Joris is clear that the momentum should continue. The challenge is to find a form that is sustainable within the constraints of funding, time tabling and institutional priorities. There is interest in expanding the model to include more countries, but any future version must retain the qualities that made the pilot successful: openness, curiosity, and a willingness to negotiate practical differences. The aim is not only to deliver a programme, but to keep the spark alive through meaningful contact and shared purpose.
The discussion also reflects the plans within the IN-CJ network to use the Newsdesk as a hub for postgraduate collaboration. As more universities explore comparative teaching and joint learning models, the network can provide a place for educators to connect, test ideas and coordinate activity across borders.
This year’s conversation signals what is possible when international teaching is approached with simplicity and trust. It shows that professional learners respond well to working across cultures, and that educators gain just as much from stepping into each other’s systems. As IN-CJ continues to encourage collaboration around practice, policy and research, this pilot provides a hopeful model for future work and stands as a reminder of the value of connection in a complex field.
