International Human Rights Law Alumni Updates

We now offer alumni of the Master's in International Human Right Law the opportunity to audit the summer elective classes of the current MSc* in International Human Rights Law course.  This pilot scheme ran successfully for the first time in 2025 and is continuing in 2026. Applications will open at 12 noon UK time on 1 April and close at the same time on 15 April. You can find out more at alumni audit scheme.

* The course changed from a Master of Studies (MSt) to a Master of Science (MSc) in 2022 when the course moved from the Department for Continuing Education (now Oxford Lifelong Learning) to the Law Faculty. The course remained the same in terms of content, structure, leadership and the student experience, but the title was changed from MSt to MSc to better reflect the centrality of research in the degree, to make the qualification more recognisable internationally and to bring it into line with other masters courses offered in the Law Faculty and Social Sciences Division. 

Spotlight on Yogi Bratajaya from Indonesia who undertook the degree from 2022- 2024

Yogi says:
 

Yogi Bratajaya

Since law school, I have held the conviction that I would use my knowledge of the law to advocate for human rights, in particular using human rights law as a tool to protect the environment and safeguard the rule of law. Attending the MSc in International Human Rights Law (IHRL) at Oxford has provided me with the necessary knowledge and skills for my career growth and to achieve these aims.

Before attending the course, I had only completed internships with grassroots and international human rights NGOs. It was a necessity for me to obtain a Master’s degree in order to advance my career. I was drawn to apply for the MSc in IHRL, over any other postgraduate course, after learning about the expertise and pedigree of the course’s teaching staff. The classes were taught by people that I looked up to and whose publications I referenced in my work as a human rights advocate, such as Professor John Knox who designed the Framework Principles on Human Rights and the Environment.

I have significantly improved my capacity in critical analysis, legal research and writing as a result of the classes and dissertation process. These skills will be instrumental in pursuing my goal of becoming a distinguished legal scholar. Further, I have deepened my understanding of key human rights law concepts and how they have been implemented, for example, exploring landmark cases that developed the substance of procedural rights in environmental decision-making.

By attending the course, I have also developed a valuable network of individuals from different regions and across different fields of expertise, including journalists and lawyers, that all share the same conviction of utilising the law to advance human rights protection. This has been made possible as the course is geared towards human rights advocates.
 

If you are interested in featuring in a future alumni spotlight, please contact us via ihrl@law.ox.ac.uk. 

• Parcasio, Marjun (alumnus), A normative account of safety in the human right to a healthy environment, Cambridge International Law Journal (2025), 14(1), 30-51
• Friðþjófsdóttir, Sigurlaug Soffía (alumnus), Structural Ableism and the ECtHR: A Critical Examination of the Court’s Accessibility Jurisprudence, International Journal of Discrimination and the Law (2025)
• Chatton, Gregor (alumnus), 'Under What Circumstances Could a “Climate Refugee” Facing Deportation Invoke the Non-Refoulement Principle? An Analysis Essentially Drawn from the United Nations Human Rights Committee’s Practice, with a Focus on its Teitiota v New Zealand case' in Véronique Boillet, Anne-Christine Favre, Thierry Largey, Raphael Mahaim (eds) Environnement, Climat: Principes, droits et justiciabilité (Helbing Lichtenhahn 2024), 263-294
• Subedi, Surya (faculty), Interlinkages Between Human Rights, Climate Action and Due Diligence Obligations of States: Potential Impact on Business Organizations, Environmental Policy and Law (2025), 55(6), 190-197

If you have recently published an article or book chapter and would like it to be included here, please contact us via ihrl@law.ox.ac.uk. 

We keep a closed group for alumni of the MSc and MSt in International Human Rights Law on LinkedIn and invite all alumni to join us there (you will need to request to join).

Find us on LinkedIn

The Faculty of Law is home to two leading research centres in international human rights law - The Bonavero Institute of Human Rights and the Oxford Human Rights Hub. 

The Bonavero Institute is dedicated to fostering world-class research and scholarship in human rights law, to promoting public engagement in and understanding of human rights issues, and to building valuable conversations and collaborations between human rights scholars and human rights practitioners. 

The Oxford Human Rights Hub (OxHRH) aims to bring together academics, practitioners, and policy-makers from across the globe to advance the understanding and protection of human rights and equality, to develop new approaches to policy, and to influence the development of human rights law and practice.

There are lots of ways you can get involved with both centres, including events, blogs and podcasts - see their individual websites for further information. 

The Faculty of Law is also a leading educator in the field of human rights law, now offering both the MSc in International Human Rights Law and the Summer School in International Human Rights Law.

If you are interested in supporting the activities of the Faculty of Law whether by mentoring a student, giving a careers talk or guest lecture, sharing your experience since leaving Oxford or making a charitable donation now or leave a lasting legacy in your will please contact the Development and Alumni Engagement Team.