Academic staff

Prof. dr. Sjoerd Douma

‘Our faculty is not only academically excellent but also connected to the practice: private practice, tax authorities, government and the judiciary. Our ambition is to train highly-skilled, good international lawyers who stand out in the market and can make a difference!’

Dr. Joanna Wheeler

‘There has never been a more exciting time to study international tax law than now – the topic is firmly on the public agenda and you can see the whole field developing before your eyes just by reading the news.’

Mr. Vassilis Dafnomilis

‘We make sure that the students stay up-to-date on current developments by organizing technical meetings throughout the year. During these meetings, we discuss topical issues with our students, e.g. the impact of MLI, or EU State aid law or issues related to taxation of digital economy.’

Growing demand for specialists

The growing globalisation of the world economy brings with it a growing demand for international tax law specialists. Specialists that have a thorough understanding of the underlying principles, are familiar with the policy perspectives of countries at differing stages of development and are aware of the practical implications of the law. The UvA joins forces with IBFD to meet that demand.

Why International Tax Law at the UvA/IBFD? 

7 reasons to choose the Advanced Master’s International Tax Law

1. Core teaching staff from the University of Amsterdam and IBFD;
2. Guest lecturers from a wide range of countries and backgrounds;
3. Optional courses and skills training exercises;
4. Small-scale classes of selected students;
5. Unlimited access to IBFD library; 
6. Moot Court and Tax Treaty negotiation course;
7. Excellent career and networking opportunities.

About the study programme

The advanced Master’s in International Tax Law is a full-time programme of one year. The curriculum covers both the established framework of international tax law and emerging issues. A fundamental premise is that a proper understanding of this area of the law requires studying both the ‘big picture’ and the technicalities. Optional courses allow you to give your study a regional focus. 

Major themes of the programme include:

• Examining the interaction among the various forces that shape international tax law - domestic law, bilateral treaties, multinational agreements, intergovernmental organizations, case law and academic writing.
• Evaluating the tax policy choices made by states, particularly in the context of cross-border structures and the flow of capital, income and persons.

The programme also includes components that allow you to delve into selected issues in depth and, at the same time, develop your professional skills, such as a Moot Court and a mock tax treaty negotiation course.

Is this programme for you?

If you have a good command of written and spoken English, an international and European tax orientation and intellectual curiosity this is the right LLM programme for you.

After graduation

There is an urgent need for professionals with a thorough understanding of international tax law. Therefore, the Advanced Master's International Tax Law is an important specialization. The two main branches of the profession are tax advisory and industry on the one hand, and government on the other. Other possibilities include the judiciary, inter-governmental organisations such as the OECD and United Nations, and academia. This programme also provides an ideal basis from which to embark on a PhD.