About the chair
The Chair in Fundamental Rights and the Digital Transformation was established to better understand the European regulatory approach to the transformation of society driven by digital technologies and their use in various sectors. VUB has established the Chair in cooperation with Microsoft Corporation.
The Chair will perform scientific research on information law and policy, while engaging in conversation and collaboration with related scientific disciplines, such as European law, human rights law, media and communications science, and international stakeholders, including policymakers, governmental stakeholders, civil society and industry.
The aims of the Chair will be achieved through scientific research, the dissemination of such research through publications, participation in conferences, policy events and scientific and expert networks.
The Chair is part of the Faculty of Law and Criminology.
Fast forward to:
Digital transformation and the law
Internet-based services play an ever more important role in economic, social, cultural and political life. The resulting digital transformation of our societies prompts significant developments in applicable legal and regulatory frameworks, including the protection of fundamental rights.
Chairholder
Prof. Dr. Joris van Hoboken is Chairholder (ended on 1 October 2022) and Prof. Dr. Paul De Hert is the academic promotor.
Prof. Dr. Joris van Hoboken
Prof. Dr. Joris van Hoboken is an internationally recognised interdisciplinary expert in the field of information law and policy, with experience working in academia, the public sector and civil society. Van Hoboken is a regular speaker at international events and conferences and has conducted research for the European Commission, UNESCO, the European Parliament.
His research addresses law and policy in the field of digital media, electronic communications and the internet, with a focus on the fundamental rights to privacy and freedom of expression and transatlantic relations and developments.
His mandate as chair holder ended on 1 October 2022.
Prof. Dr. Paul De Hert
Prof. Dr. Paul De Hert is a full-time professor at VUB and associated professor at Tilburg University. He is a human rights and law and technology scholar working in the area of constitutionalism, criminal law, data protection and surveillance law.
Paul is Director of the Research Group on Fundamental Rights and Constitutionalism (FRC), Director of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Law (Metajuridics), Co-Director of the Brussels Privacy Hub and Co-Director of the Research Group Law Science Technology & Society (LSTS).
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Academic chair details
Faculty: Faculty of Law and Criminology
Type of chair: Research
Foundation year: 2017