Vice-Rector Erwin Muller taking on new role at Council of State
Vice-Rector of Organisational Development and former FGGA Dean, Erwin Muller, will take up the position of State Councillor at the Advisory Division of the Council of State on 1 April 2026. The Council of Ministers approved his appointment today.
Muller will continue part-time as Professor of Safety, Security and Law, but will step down from his roles as Vice-Rector of Organisational Development and Director of Campus The Hague.
Erwin Muller has been with our university since 1988. He received his PhD in Leiden in 1994 and became a professor in 2000. He subsequently held positions including as Scientific Director of the Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure, and Vice-Dean of Leiden Law School, with education a key part of his portfolio
Between 2018 and 2024, Muller served as Dean of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs (FGGA). Alongside his deanship, he fulfilled an administrative role focusing on the continued development of the university’s ambitions in The Hague. In April 2024, he was appointed by the Executive Board as Vice-Rector of Organisational Development, a role he combined with that of Director of Campus The Hague.
Delighted
‘I’m delighted and honoured to be joining the Advisory Division of the Council of State,’ said Erwin Muller. ‘This is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful and independent contribution to the quality of legislation in the Netherlands in the years ahead, while remaining closely engaged with my own area of expertise. I am immensely grateful for the administrative and collegial cooperation within and beyond Leiden University. FGGA and Campus The Hague have flourished, and we have laid the foundations for future organisational development. I am pleased that I will continue as a professor at our wonderful university and look forward to continuing my work with all my colleagues there.’
Grateful
In their response, the Executive Board and Board of Governors offered warm words of appreciation for Muller’s many years of service to Leiden University. Ferd Grapperhaus, chair of the Board of Governors: ‘Erwin has an impressive track record at our university. With his departure, we are losing a leader who has played an indispensable role in advancing our ambitions. His expertise, combined with his great sense of humour, has played a significant role in addressing a wide range of issues.
Luc Sels, president of the Executive Board, added: ‘With Erwin's departure, we say goodbye to an administrator who has been of great significance to our university. The successful development of Campus The Hague clearly bears his stamp. We are deeply grateful for all these valuable contributions. We wish him every success in his new position at the Council of State, and are pleased that he will remain part of our university as a professor.’