The students were encouraged to submit an application by Dr Helen Connolly, course co-ordinator for the Sociology programme as part of their learning for a final year unit on international criminal law.

The visit which will take place in December will see the delegation of students working with the mothers and widows of the 8,372 men and boys massacred on 11 July 1995 by the Bosnian Serb forces in Srebrenica.

The mass execution was greatest atrocity on European soil since the Second World War and has been ruled by the International Court of Justice as constituting genocide.

Dr Connolly said: “I am very, very proud of what our students have achieved. The application process was very competitive but the organisation found our application and commitment to be very impressive indeed."

“This would be a life-changing experience for our students. An opportunity like this allows them to become part of the story and therefore part of the solution in situations of conflict, hate and intolerance.”

As part of their commitment to the programme, the students have pledged to organise a range of fundraising events, and to liaise with schools and grassroots organisations working in Central Bedfordshire on the issues of race and intolerance.

They will also hold a two day event at the University this summer called, ‘Srebrenica: Their Story, Our Story’, where they will discuss the genocide but also relate the lessons they have learnt back to issues the local community is facing.

In previous years, students on the Criminology and Sociology course have been to the International Criminal Court at The Hague, have hosted the Rwandan High Commissioner for an event marking the 20^th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide and have had guest lectures from prominent human rights and international criminal law experts.