Legal studies have been present in European universities uninterruptedly since their origins in the 11th century, although the existence of schools for training jurists predates this period and is widespread across various cultures and civilizations. Therefore, the academic, scientific, and professional relevance of offering a generalist degree in Law is beyond question. At the University of Santiago de Compostela, the Faculty of Law traces its origins back to 1649 and, since then, has been exclusively responsible for university-level legal education in Galicia until the 1980s, when other law faculties were established within the Galician University System. Even today, the Law Degree offered by the Faculty remains the most in-demand in the entire Galician University System. This long-standing tradition has produced a great number of historically, politically, socially, culturally, and scientifically significant figures who received their education at the Faculty’s classrooms, attesting to the quality of the education provided.
The Institute of Criminology, for its part, was established in 1981, making it the third oldest in Spain. It was responsible for offering the university’s own diploma in Criminology until its discontinuation in the 2022-23 academic year due to the implementation of the Criminology Degree in the 2018/2019 academic year.
Mission
The Faculty of Law is a public institution within the University of Santiago de Compostela. Its mission is to promote the advancement of higher education and scientific research in the disciplines covered by its degree programs. It fosters a comprehensive education based on academic excellence, ethics, social commitment, and preparation for a global and interdisciplinary context.
Vision
The Faculty of Law aspires to be a leading institution in training professionals in the fields of Law and Criminology, recognized for its academic excellence, impactful research, and ability to address the legal and social challenges of the 21st century. Through comprehensive education, we aim to provide our students with a well-rounded preparation that combines theoretical knowledge with strong practical training, equipping professionals to face the challenges of their careers with an ethical, critical, and responsible approach.
The Faculty seeks to establish itself as a centre for innovation and critical reflection, strongly oriented toward solving real and current societal problems. To achieve this, we promote high-level research characterized not only by academic excellence but also by its direct impact on improving public policies, developing new legal norms, and adapting the legal system to the real needs of society.
Our commitment to interdisciplinarity enables students to develop analytical and practical skills that go beyond the traditional legal field, connecting with economics, politics, sociology, psychology, and other relevant areas, allowing for a broader and more effective approach to problem-solving.
Collaboration with the legal sector, public and private institutions, and international networks is essential to providing training adapted to the demands of the global job market. Participation in international projects and initiatives allows the Faculty to expand its global visibility while fostering exchange and collaboration between different legal and cultural traditions, enriching its perspective and training.
The Faculty of Law aims to be a learning space that not only trains highly qualified professionals but also responsible citizens aware of their role in improving society.
Values
In carrying out its activities and, in particular, in developing and implementing this Strategic Plan, the Faculty of Law will be guided by the following values:
• The defense and promotion of fundamental rights
• A vocation for service and commitment to excellence
• A commitment to lifelong learning
• Freedom of thought
• Critical thinking
• Open and responsible management
• Participation and dialogue
• Ethics and social responsibility
• Openness to society and sensitivity to social needs
• A commitment to technological innovation
• International collaboration and multiculturalism
Principles
The Faculty of Law at the University of Santiago de Compostela reaffirms its commitment to quality, in line with its Quality Assurance System (SGC), and to offering an education of excellence based on principles such as responsibility, integration, participation, equality, student-centered orientation, transparency, and excellence. These principles form the backbone of its quality policy and reflect its role as a leading institution in the teaching of Law and Criminology.
• Responsibility: Providing high-quality education in the fields of Law and Criminology, ensuring an academic offering that meets the needs and expectations of students and society.
• Integration, participation, and equality: Addressing the needs of different interest groups by providing effective mechanisms for expressing opinions, suggestions, disagreements, and complaints. Additionally, fostering the participation of the entire academic community in university life, ensuring the representation of different groups in the Faculty’s governing and management bodies.
• Student-centered orientation: Placing students at the core of academic activity, ensuring their guidance and support through tutors, course coordinators, and the Faculty’s leadership, by developing training programs that promote academic success and employability.
• Transparency: Strengthening the trust of the university community and society through open and accessible management, promoting the public and up-to-date dissemination of program outcomes. For this purpose, the Faculty’s website and institutional social media channels will be prioritized.
• Excellence: Achieving the highest standards of academic and institutional quality, using the leading models of university management as a reference, as well as prestigious higher education institutions, particularly in Spain and Europe.
Objectives
Considering the above, the Faculty of Law’s main quality objectives are:
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Ensuring that the study programs offered at the Faculty align with the highest national and international standards, integrating innovative and practical approaches.
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Developing an education that combines theoretical and practical knowledge, preparing students to face professional challenges with an ethical and critical vision.
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Promoting research projects that contribute to the development of public policies, new regulations, and solutions to contemporary social and legal problems.
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Establishing strategic alliances with public and private institutions, facilitating practical training and the integration of our graduates into the job market.
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Encouraging inclusion and equal opportunities, ensuring the participation of the academic community in the Faculty’s decision-making processes.
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Enhancing trust through open, accessible, and transparent management, with an appropriate dissemination of academic and institutional achievements.
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Implementing continuous improvement mechanisms in academic, administrative, and research processes, using prestigious higher education institutions as models.