Ymre Schuurmans Academic Director Institute of Public Law
The Faculty Board has appointed Professor Ymre Schuurmans as Academic Director of the Institute of Public Law. Schuurmans is Professor of Constitutional and Administrative Law and was Head of the Department of Constitutional and Administrative Law for the past six years.
Ymre Schuurmans succeeds Professor Stefaan Van den Bogaert as Academic Director. Van den Bogaert has joined the Faculty Board as Director of Research and will also hold the position of Vice Dean at Leiden Law School. In the past year, Schuurmans had already acted as deputy Academic Director at the Institute of Public Law.
As Professor of Constitutional and Administrative Law, Schurmans’ focus is mainly on general administrative law and the law of administrative procedure in a changing society. In the process, she frequently conducts internal and external comparative law research. She is particularly interested in conflict, and the prevention of conflict, between citizens and government authorities, especially in a digitalised society. Among other activities, she participates in the key research area Conflictoplossende Instituties (Conflict Resolution Institutions) and in the Leiden interdisciplinary research programme SAILS.
'In recent years, the heads of department at the Institute chaired most recently by Stefaan Van den Bogaert, have worked well together in a professional and constructive manner’, says Schuurmans. 'Together with Professor Eric de Brabandere as deputy Academic Director, I would like to continue in this way. It will undoubtedly be a period with many challenges. As an Institute we will be working at full capacity to continue to conduct top quality teaching and research under the current challenging circumstances while providing a good working environment.'
Fresh approach
Dean of Leiden Law School Joanne van der Leun looks forward to working with Schuurmans as Academic Director. 'Her management experience as Head of the Department of Constitutional and Administrative Law has provided a firm basis for her future work at the faculty. Ymre has also conducted many activities outside the University and has spent a number of periods abroad, bringing a fresh approach to how we do things. We look forward to working together.'