European scholars from Ghent University in Belgium shared research-driven outcomes on pressing criminology issues with UC Criminology students and faculty, joined by participants from higher education institutions across Northern Luzon. The lectures were held on January 22, 2026, at the UC Theatre.

Prof. Christophe Vandeviver delivered a lecture on offender decision-making, examining how and why offenders select specific targets and locations. His discussion offered a scientific lens into criminal behavior, grounding theory in empirical analysis of spatial choice and offender psychology.

Prof. Tom Vander Beken presented perspectives on prison systems in Europe and South Africa, highlighting the John Howard methodology in assessing prison conditions and the lived realities of persons undergoing rehabilitation. His talk emphasized human dignity, institutional accountability, and evidence-based prison reform.

The exchange forms part of the Rights2Life Project, a collaboration between UC and Ghent University aimed at strengthening a Philippine criminal justice system anchored on the rule of law and human rights. The initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 through international academic collaboration, SDG 10 by promoting humane justice systems, and SDG 16 by advancing rights-based, research-informed criminal justice reforms.