Elaine Mak appointed new dean Law, Economics and Governance

Elaine Mak will be appointed as the new dean of Utrecht University's faculty of Law, Economics and Governance by the Executive Board, effective September 2023. Mak is currently Professor of Jurisprudence and Vice-Dean for Education at the faculty of Law, Economics and Governance.

Executive Board President Professor Anton Pijpers welcomes the appointment. "Elaine has an eye for staff and students and shows that she stands for transparent leadership. We know her as a connecting, listening and curious leader. She has a clear affinity for - and thoughts on - the university's socially engaged mission. And we are confident that she will translate this into policy within the broad faculty. My colleagues and I look forward to working together."

Career

Elaine Mak studied Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam and Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. She received her PhD cum laude in 2008 from Erasmus University Rotterdam, where she was Endowed Professor of Empirical Study of Public Law and Director of the Erasmus Graduate School of Law from 2014 to 2016. In 2016, she was appointed Professor of Jurisprudence at Utrecht University, and since 2018 she has also been Vice-Dean for Education at the faculty of Law, Economics and Governance. Elaine Mak was a member of the first generation of Utrecht Young Academy and president of the Netherlands Association for Philosophy of Law. She is active as a deputy judge in criminal cases at the Court of Appeal of The Hague.

A unique faculty at the center of society

The faculty of Law, Economics and Governance is special because of the unique combination of the three disciplines. I am delighted and honoured by the trust granted to lead the faculty in the coming years and take the next steps in education, research and impact," said Mak. "The faculty's strong connection to societal issues provides opportunities for both disciplinary uniqueness and further multi- and interdisciplinary collaboration on topics such as sustainability and institutions, also in the context of the university’s strategic themes.

The faculty's strong connection to societal issues provides opportunities for collaboration on topics such as sustainability and institutions.

As dean, I want to provide a safe and inclusive study and work environment. I also want to ensure that the ideas and agreements around Recognition and Rewards lead to tangible change and innovation in the academic organization and culture of the faculty, building on the faculty’s TRIPLE profiles that were developed in a working group under my leadership.