Thematic Line 4 - Justice, Security, and Institutions

Fostering transnational dialogue and joint action on complex social, legal, and political realities

The thematic line TL4: Justice, Security and Institutions functions as an innovative platform for communication, collaboration, and exchange between academic communities across member universities.
By bringing together teachers, researchers, and students, this thematic line fosters transnational dialogue and joint action on some of the most pressing challenges modern societies face.



UNIC's seven cross-cutting Thematic Lines are interlocking collaborative structures that establish relations between faculties of our universities around specific areas of post-industrial transition.


Topics covered by UNIC's thematic lines include health and wellbeing, sustainability, resilience and digitization, security, inclusion, entrepreneurship, and arts. They are communities of researchers and educators within UNIC that provide the contents for UNIC’s innovation in education, engagement, and cooperation capacities. Find out more about our Thematic Lines and get involved!



This UNIC Thematic Line is structured around core themes—Justice, Security, and Institutions—each serving as an entry point to explore complex social, legal, and political realities, while enhancing the role of higher education institutions as active contributors to societal development.

A Holistic Understanding of Justice


Justice in TL4 is approached not merely as a theoretical or legal concept but as a lived experience tied closely to social equity and governance. Central topics include equal access to justice, governance of justice systems, and the rule of law. These areas are crucial in ensuring that democratic principles are upheld and that all citizens—regardless of their social, economic, or legal status—have meaningful access to fair treatment. The emphasis on access to justice particularly benefits underrepresented and marginalized groups, aiming to confront systemic barriers through inclusive legal education and practical engagement.

One concrete form of this engagement is the promotion of law clinics as a pedagogical tool. Law clinics, already established as effective models of experiential learning, allow students to apply legal theory in real-world settings, often providing free legal aid to those who need it most. The development of a UNIC Network of Law Clinics represents a commitment to expanding this model across universities, enhancing both student learning outcomes and the universities' social impact.

Enhancing Urban and Human Security


The notion of security within TL4 extends beyond national defence or policing to encompass urban safety, public space security, and critical infrastructure protection. In an increasingly urbanized world, cities are sites of opportunity as well as vulnerability. Ensuring the safety of public areas, particularly for women, migrants, and marginalized communities, is essential for inclusive urban life. TL4 seeks to develop innovative, interdisciplinary solutions to enhance urban security, including participatory approaches where students work with local stakeholders to co-create safer public spaces.


Security is also linked to broader human rights concerns, such as protection from domestic violence and gender-based violence. These themes are not only critical from a justice perspective but also deeply tied to institutional responses, community trust, and the availability of social services. As such, security is treated as a multifaceted concept that intersects with social justice and institutional responsibility.


Reimagining the Role of Institutions


Institutions are the structural foundations of public life and include political institutions, public administration, judicial systems, civil society, and religious organizations. In TL4, there is a strong emphasis on critically analysing the role of institutions in maintaining democracy, delivering public services, and building social trust. Special attention is paid to how institutions respond to complex issues like migration, domestic violence, and democratic erosion.


Cooperative teaching projects focus on these challenges to foster institutional accountability and responsiveness. For instance, student projects might analyse how local governance structures respond to migration flows or how institutional design impacts the prevention of domestic violence. These practical, issue-based projects not only enhance student learning but also encourage institutional innovation.


Socially Engaged Learning and Research


At the heart of TL4 is a commitment to socially engaged, practice-oriented teaching. This involves moving beyond the classroom into communities, where students and teachers collaborate directly with local actors to address real-world problems. The blended mobility approach — combining virtual and physical mobility — allows diverse student groups to collaborate across borders while staying grounded in local community needs.


This pedagogical model encourages reflection, empathy, and civic responsibility while offering students opportunities to gain valuable professional experience. More importantly, it creates open channels of communication between universities and communities, making academic work more transparent, inclusive, and impactful.


Building Research Communities


Another key goal of TL4 is the creation of transnational research communities focused on priority areas such as migration, gender-based violence, and democratic institutions. These communities aim to foster collaborative research that is both academically rigorous and socially relevant. By connecting scholars from across the UNIC alliance, TL4 promotes comparative research, knowledge co-creation, and the development of policy recommendations that reflect diverse social and political contexts.


Contact Thematic Line 4 - Justice, Security, and Institutions

Email us at tl4[at]unic.eu

Get in Touch


Cookie Settings

The UNIC website uses cookies to improve your experience. Read our full Cookie Policy here.

I Accept the Cookie Policy No Cookies, Please