Education
He studied law (graduation in 1977, with distinction) and philosophy (graduation in 1985, cum laude) at the Radboud University Nijmegen.
He studied law (graduation in 1977, with distinction) and philosophy (graduation in 1985, cum laude) at the Radboud University Nijmegen.
In September 2012, he received a doctorate honoris causa from Northwestern University. His first job was Head of the Studium Generale Office, Nijmegen University (1977-1985), followed by the position of Lecturer in Theory of Law at Tilburg University. In the past he has been, inter alia, Dean of the Law School of Tilburg University (2002-2004 and 2010-2011) and Dean of The Hague Institute for Global Justice (2011-2012). He has published extensively on a variety of issues in international law.
In 1988, he defended his Doctor of Philosophy thesis at the Radboud University, where he became a Professor of Human Rights Law in 1991 (until 2006).
He also holds the position of Chair of the standing Commission on Human Rights of the Dutch government and of vice-chair of the Dutch Advisory Council on International Affairs, of which the Commission is a part. He is Editor of the Netherlands’ School of Human Rights Research Series and Editor-in-chief of the Netherlands Yearbook of International Law. Chair of WOTRO, Science for Global Development (part of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research).
Member of the Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the International Law Association.
And Chair of the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law.