Kurt Deketelaere

Kurt Deketelaere. He is a prominent Belgian legal scholar, professor, and academic administrator specializing in environmental law and climate law. He has held significant leadership positions, most notably as the Secretary-General of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), and is a professor at his alma mater, the KU Leuven. His career spans academia, high-level policy advising, and institutional leadership within the European Union research landscape.

Early life and education

Born in 1965 in Leuven, he pursued his higher education entirely at the KU Leuven, one of Europe's oldest and most prestigious universities. He earned his Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree, followed by a Doctor of Laws (Ph.D.) in law, which he completed in 1993. His doctoral research focused on legal and economic instruments in environmental policy, laying the groundwork for his future expertise. This foundational period at the Faculty of Law of KU Leuven established his deep connection to the institution where he would later build his academic career.

Academic career

Following his doctorate, he began his academic tenure at the KU Leuven, where he was appointed a professor of law. He taught courses in environmental law, economic law, and property law. He held several key positions within the university, including serving as Vice President for the University of Leuven Association and as the founding President of the KU Leuven Faculty of Law's Institute for Environmental and Energy Law. His academic leadership extended to Ghent University, where he also held a professorship. Furthermore, he has been a visiting professor at institutions such as the University of Edinburgh and the University of Technology Sydney.

Research and publications

His research is centered on European Union law, with a specific focus on climate change legislation, energy law, and environmental taxation. He has authored and edited numerous books, scholarly articles, and policy reports. Key publications include co-editing the seminal handbook "*Environmental Law in the United Kingdom and Belgium*" and authoring extensive analyses on the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). His work is frequently cited in debates on sustainable development and the implementation of the Paris Agreement within the European Union. He has also provided expert advice to the European Commission, the Flemish government, and the Dutch government.

Leadership roles in academia and policy

Beyond his professorial duties, he has held influential administrative and policy-shaping roles. From 2009 to 2016, he served as the Secretary-General of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), a major advocacy association of leading research-intensive universities like the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and ETH Zurich. In this capacity, he was a leading voice on European research policy, university funding, and innovation strategy. He has also been a member of the High-Level Group on Innovation Policy Management and has chaired the Flemish Council for Science and Innovation. His leadership significantly impacted the strategic direction of higher education and research and development in Europe.

Awards and recognition

In recognition of his contributions to legal scholarship and academic leadership, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts. He has received several prestigious awards, including the Franz Edelman Award for achievement in operations research and the management sciences, related to his work on environmental policy instruments. His expertise is regularly sought by international bodies, and he holds memberships in professional organizations such as the International Society for Ecological Economics and the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.

Category:Belgian legal scholars Category:KU Leuven alumni Category:KU Leuven faculty Category:Climate change policy scholars Category:1965 births Category:Living people