Dr. Sjors Ligthart

Associate Professor

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Biography

Sjors Ligthart is an Associate Professor at Tilburg Law School, with a focus on criminal law and its intersections with human rights. His PhD research, which he successfully defended cum laude in November 2021, explored the human rights implications of coercive brain-reading practices in criminal law. In 2019, he visited the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics as part of his research. Following his doctoral studies, he served as an Assistant Professor at Tilburg University before advancing to an Associate Professor role in 2025. Ligthart is currently involved in various research projects, including a postdoctoral position at Utrecht University under an NWO Vici grant that examines the ethics of neurotechnology in criminal justice. He received the 2024 Veni grant from the Dutch Research Council for his project 'Mental Liberty in the Age of Modern Technology: Absolute Protection of the Mind?'.

Research Interests

Experience

Associate Professor

2021-12-01 — Present

Tilburg University • Tilburg

Teaching and research in criminal law and human rights, focusing on the implications of neurotechnology.

Assistant Professor

2021-11-05 — 2025-11-01

Tilburg University • Tilburg

Conducted research and taught courses in criminal law.

Postdoc Researcher

2021-12-01 — Present

Utrecht University • Utrecht

Involved in an NWO Vici-grant research project examining law, ethics, and neurotechnology in criminal justice.

Awards

#2024

Veni Grant Dutch Research Council (NWO)

2024-01-01
#2022

KNAW Early Career Partnership Award

2022-01-01

Courses

Penitentiary Law Master's Thesis Criminal Law

Requirements for Tilburg University

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:6
Reading
Required:6
Writing
Required:6
Speaking
Required:6
Overall
Required:6.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:21
Reading
Required:21
Writing
Required:22
Speaking
Required:21
Total
Required:90
Prerequisites
Academic Bachelor's degree in Law or relevant field Proficiency in English
Application Checklist
  • Passport or ID card
  • Official Transcript of Records
  • Bachelor's Diploma (or graduation statement)
  • Motivation Letter
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • English proficiency test results
Specialization Notes

Standard requirements for LLM programs in Law and Technology, International Law, and Public Law.