Establishment Chair Fundamental Rights and the Digital Transformation at VUB

WITH THE SUPPORT OF MICROSOFT

Vrije Universiteit Brussel, with the support of Microsoft, has established the Chair Fundamental Rights and the Digital Transformation. Internationally known information law expert Prof. dr. Joris van Hoboken has been appointed as Chairholder. A first PhD student will be appointed soon.

The Chair is established within the interdisciplinary Research Group on Law Science Technology & Society (LSTS) at VUB. Prof. Dr. Paul de Hert acts as the academic supervisor of the Chair.

The aim of the Chair is to contribute to a better understanding of the transformation of society due to developments in digital technologies and their deployment in various sectors, and the European regulatory response to these developments. The Chair’s research and activities will place special focus on transatlantic relations and related international regulatory dynamics in the field of internet-based services and digital technologies. The Chair will make significant efforts to engage in conversation and collaboration with other scientific disciplines, policy makers, civil society and industry. The Chair will also be engaged in the supervision of PhD students in the field.

Prof. dr. Joris van Hoboken works on the intersection of fundamental rights protection and the governance of platforms and internet-based services. He previously worked at New York University and the University of Amsterdam and has a background in Law and Theoretical Mathematics. Van Hoboken’s appointment at VUB is part time (50%). He will also remain a senior researcher at the Institute for Information Law (IViR) at the University of Amsterdam.

The official launch of the Chair will take place March 1st, 2018.

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