PRESIDENT

Place and date of birth | Antwerp (Belgium), 4 September 1953 

Married, 6 children, 15 grand children 

DIPLOMAS

• Doctorate – Faculty of Law and Canon Law, Catholic University of Louvain - "Right to and Freedom of Education" (1984);
• Master in Law (University of Antwerp) – Magna Cum Laude (primus) (1976);
• Master in Canon Law (Catholic University of Louvain) – Summa Cum Laude (1979);
• Bachelor in Law (University Faculties Sint-Ignatius Antwerp) – Cum Laude (1973);
• Bachelor in Philosophy and Arts (University Faculties Sint-Ignatius Antwerp) – Cum Laude (1973);
• Bachelor in Religious Studies (Catholic University of Louvain) – Magna Cum Laude (1977);
• Bachelor in Canon Law (Catholic University of Louvain) – Summa Cum Laude (1978);
• Literae humaniores (Classics), Sint-Jan Berchmanscollege in Merksem (Antwerp) (1971);

ACADEMIC CAREER

• Professor at the Higher Institute for Public Administration (Antwerp), 1977–1989, teaching administrative law;
• Professor at the Sint-Aloysius School of Economics (Brussels), 1988–1992, teaching international, comparative and national policy and law on education;
• Professor at Ghent University: 1992- 2002, teaching international, comparative and national policy and law on education;
• Professor at the College of Europe, Bruges: 2002-2018, teaching i.a. international, comparative and national policy and law on education, culture, religion; new appointment in 2021;
• Holder of the ‘Right to Education UNESCO Chair’ at the College of Europe: 2010-2018 and at the University of Antwerp: 2018-2021;
• Professor at the ‘TiasNimbas School for Business and Society’, University of Tilburg (the Netherlands): 20022018;
• Professor at the National Research University, Higher School of Economics (HSE), Moscow (Russia): 2017-2021;
• Extraordinary Professor at the Edu-HRight Research Unit, North West University, Potchefstroom (South Africa): from 2018;
• Professor at the University of Antwerp: 2019-2021;
• Visiting Professor or invited lecturer at: Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (2015); University of Bahia and University of Sao Paulo (2014); Hanyang University in Korea, Waseda University Tokio (2013); University of Padova (2011, 2010), Seton Hall University of New York (2010), University of Malaya (2010),

University of Salvador-Bahia, Brazil (2009, 2017), Beijing Normal University (2008), University of Pretoria (2003, 2015), South East European University (2002, 2003), University of Lisbon (2001, 2002), Boston University (1995);

• Member of international evaluation committees for the procedure of granting tenure to academics for University of Boston, University of Southampton, University of Bloemfontein, University of Pretoria, South East European University, and for the evaluation of research grants, National Research Councils.
• Training courses on university management for the university leadership of South Africa (2002), of various Chinese Provinces (2001), of top officials from the Russian national and regional Ministries for Education and Scientific Research (1994-2001).

PROFESSIONAL CAREER (SELECTION)

• Legal Counsellor of the successive Minister-President of the Flemish Government and of the Minister of Culture: 1976-1981;
• Scientific Expert to the Centre for Political, Economic and Social Studies (CEPESS), headed by Herman Van

Rompuy; portfolio: education, constitutional reform, media, culture, ethics: 1979-1985;

• Chef de Cabinet of the Flemish Minister for Education and Training: 1985-1988;
• Appointed by Royal Decree on 6 July 1987 as Government Commissioner for Universities (Flemish Community, Belgium) and previously at the Interuniversity Institute for Tropical Medicine (ITG): 1988-2019.

RECOGNITIONS (SELECTION)

• Doctor Honoris Causa, at the University of Pretoria (South Africa), 5 April 2015;
• Doctor Honoris Causa, at the South-East European University (SEEU) in Tetovo (North Macedonia), 18 November 2016;
• ANV-Visser-Neerlandia-Price, on 8 September 2010 in Oisterwijk (Netherlands);

OTHER ACADEMIC AND POLICY POSITIONS AND DUTIES (SELECTION) a) International

• Member of the International Conference on Sustainable Development Conference (ICSD) Scientific Committee (2021), New Yoork;
• Member of the ‘Advisory Council’ to the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP), since 2020;
• International Member of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, Department of Higher Education, since 2018;
• Full elected member of the Club of Rome EU-Chapter (CoR-EU), since 2018;
• Founder of the ‘Sustainable Development Solution Network (SDSN)’ Belgium (2018) and organizer and chair of the annual education sessions within the Science and Sustainability Conferences (G-STIC) 2018-2022, Brussels and Dubai.
• Consultor of the Congregation for Catholic Education (Vatican) appointed by Pope Franciscus, since 2016; ▪ Advisor of UNICEF Belgium (2019-);
• Chair of the Global Education Law Forum (GELF), opening session at UNESCO, Paris, 2018;
• Chair of the Law Conferences in the framework of the World Conference ‘Educating Today and Tomorrow. A renewing passion’ (Vatican and Castel Gandolfo, November 2015);
• Elected Deputy Chair of the Appeals Committee of the ‘European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education’ (EQAR), 2015-2020;
• Team Leader of the EU-project ‘Rule of Law - Higher Legal Education in Iraq’ : May 2013-November 2014;
• UNESCO Chargé de Mission to the Assistant Director-General for the Right to Education” (from 12/06/2007 until 30/06/2010);
• Member of the ‘Council of Senior Advisors’ of the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP) (2011-2020);
• Member of the Wissenschaftlichen Beirat des Instituts für Bildungsforschung und Bildungsrecht e.V. (IfBB), RuhrUniversität Bochum, since 2011;
• European Science Foundation, Strasbourg: Chairman of the Euro HESC Review Panel on ‘Research Projects in the Humanities concerning the higher education policy’ : 2007-2012;
• Founder and Chairman of the European Association for Education Law and Policy (E.L.A.), since 1993;
• Founder and editor in chief of the “European Journal of Education Law and Policy” published by Kluwer Law International, Dordrecht (1997-2004) and of the “International Journal of Education Law and Policy” published by Legal Wolf Publishers, The Hague (2005-);
• Co-chair of the Task Force of the Expert Committee of the Commission of the African Union on the ‘Strategy for Innovation and Research for Africa’: 2012-2013;
• Consultant of the Commission for the African Union (2012-2013);
• Chairperson of the World Conference on the Right to Education and Human Dignity, Amsterdam/The Hague (2004), Brussels (2012);
• Consultancy work for national governments concerning draft legislation; Missions at the request of EU, Council of Europe, OECD, UNESCO, World Bank, Ukraine, Slovakia, Russia, Ukraine, Morocco, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, South Africa;
• At the request of the international community: Co-founder and Member of the 'International Board' of the South East European University (SEEU) Tetovo – Macedonia (2002-2008);
• Assignment with the High Commissioner for Minorities former minister Max Van der Stoel (OSCE) with regard to diplomatic commissions concerning national minorities in the Balkan region, Romania and Hungary (1999-2001).
• Project Leader for South Africa with regard to preparing new legislation on education (1994-1998) and with regard to the "Implementation of the Constitution" project in cooperation with the Constitutional Court of South Africa (1996-1998);
• Chairman of the International Research Committee of Legal Experts, which has been advising the Douma and Russian Government about the drafting of legislation with regard to education and research for the Russian Federation of Independent Republics, 1992 - 2002;
• Member of the International Academy for Education Law (Moscow, 1994); Reviewer for international academic journals; Member of the Editorial Board of the Russian 'Teachers Journal', and of the Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal (C.E.P.S. Journal);
• Member of the Committee of the "Legislative reform in higher education" project of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg (1992 - 1998);
• Chairman of the ‘Editing Board’ of the Program "Legislating for Higher Education in Europe" of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg (1993-1998);
• Belgian representative on the Board of Directors for the "Centre for Educational Research and Innovation" (C.E.R.I.) of the OECD. (1989 - 1995);
• National coordinator of the OECD project "International Indicators and Evaluation of Educational Systems"

(I.N.E.S.) (1990-1995) and Chairman of the Flemish interdisciplinary academic I.N.E.S. group (1990-1996);

b) National

• Founder and Chairman of the ‘Interuniversitair Centrum voor Onderwijsrecht’ (I.C.O.R.), since 1990;
• Founder and editor in chief of the ‘Tijdschrift voor Onderwijsrecht en Onderwijsbeleid’, [Journal for Education Law and Policy], Kluwer Law (1990-2001) and Die Keure Uitgeverij (2002);
• Chairperson of the Expert Committee on “Good Governance in higher education and research” (2010-2013) and of the similar Expert Committee on Culture (2013 and 2020);
• Member of the Expert Committee installed by the Flemish Radio and Television Broadcasting Company (VRT) (2014-2015).
• Expert to the Advisory Commission to the Prime Minister of Belgium in preparation of “International

Conference on Federalism”, Brussels (2004), and co-chair of the ‘Education Chapter’

• Vice-chair of the 'Foreign Cultural Policy Committee – the Netherlands-Flanders', The Hague, (2002 - 2012).
• Chairman of the federal ‘Association for Political and Social Studies’ (Société d'Etudes politiques et sociales (S.E.P.S.) - Vereniging voor Politieke en Sociale Studies (V.P.S.S.)) (1991-1997) succeeded by the Honorary Prime Minister, Leo Tindemans;
• Co-founder and member of the General Assembly of the Interuniversity Centre for Applied Ethics - Catholic University of Louvain (1991-2005);
• Chairman of the Official Jury which advises the Flemish Government on the awarding of the biennial Official Prize "Prijs van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap - Johan Fleerackers" [Flemish Community Award];
• Chairman of the academic jury for the Academic Chair "Johan Fleerackers", State University of Leiden and Catholic University of Louvain (1989-1999);
• National Vice-Chairman (1991-1995) and Member of the Permanent National Culture Pact Committee (19781986).
• Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Children and Youth Theatre (Het Paleis): (1997-2013);
• Head of the Remuneration committee and member of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet of Flanders , Kunsthuis: 2012-2018;
• Chair of the Expert Group on the Green Paper : The EU mission in education and research: available legal tools for policy development in the next decade and beyond. Towards embedded mobility and European quality assurance

(2019);

• Chair of the Expert Group on ‘Good Governance for Universities, Colleges and Scientific Institutions in the Flemish Community’, (2011-2018);
• Chair of the Forecast Studies 2050 in the Flemish Community (since 2019);
• Chair of the National Conferences on ‘Visions for 2030. Future Explorations Richard Celis’, organised by the

Flemish Cultural Associations, University of Antwerp (2012-2016);

c) PhD. Tracks as Promotor

• Ausrine Pasvenskiene, Legal justification of academic freedom as a fundamental right: is it sufficient?, 2017.
• Georgia du Plessis, The Right to Religious Freedom in the and the Inclusion of a South African Public School with a Religious Ethos, 2017.
• Anna Magrietha Truter, Education in the best interests of the child: A case study of rural schools in KwaZulu-Natal, University of Pretoria, 2015.
• Mariette Reyneke : The Best interests of the Child in School Discipline in South Africa, Tilburg University, 2013. ▪ Gracienne Lauwers, The Impact of the European Convention on Human Rights on the Right to Education in Russia: 1992-2004, University of Tilburg, 2005.

as Member of Doctoral Jury

• Yousra Benfquih, Reasonable accommodation in education: an integrated human rights approach on the basis of the right to equality, inclusive education and freedom of religion, Universiteit Antwerpen, 2020.
• Niels Noorlander, Recht doen aan leerlingen en ouders: de rechtspositie van leerlingen en ouders in het primair en het voortgezet onderwijs, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2005.
• Anne Van Wageningen, De staat van de universiteit: een rechtsvergelijkende studie naar de institutionalisering van de universiteit in Nederland, Frankrijk en Nordrhein-Westfalen, Universiteit Twente, 2003.
• Machteld Verbruggen, Tussen subsidiariteit en harmonisatie: een onderzoek naar de instrumenten voor het voeren

van een Europees onderwijsbeleid, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 2001.