Nigerian scholar Dr. Amanda Bisong has achieved a remarkable academic milestone, earning a doctorate in International Law from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam with the prestigious ‘cum laude’ distinction—an honor awarded to only 5% of PhD candidates in Europe over the last two decades.
Dr. Bisong’s achievement is particularly significant as the Faculty of Law at the university has not granted a ‘cum laude’ distinction in 20 years. Her research, supervised by Professor Thomas Spijkerboer and Dr. Martin Stronks, explores the role of regional organizations such as ECOWAS and the EU in shaping migration policies in West Africa.
Her work connects migration governance with regional trade, emphasizing the impact of mobility on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). She highlights how migration has historically supported the livelihoods of border communities and remains central to economic relations in the region.
Dr. Bisong argues that regional cooperation is key to effective migration management, balancing security, human rights, and economic priorities. Her research also examines the influence of colonial and postcolonial histories on migration policies and the role of non-state actors in shaping migration discourse.
Currently serving as a Policy Officer at the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) in the Netherlands, Dr. Bisong has over a decade of experience in trade and migration research across West Africa.
She holds a law degree from the University of Nigeria, Enugu, and advanced degrees in International Trade Law from institutions including the World Trade Institute (WTI) in Bern, the Trade Policy Training Centre in Africa (TRAPCA) in Arusha, and Lund University in Sweden.
Her groundbreaking research offers critical insights for policymakers, scholars, and advocates working to understand and improve migration governance in West Africa.
