LERU names new Secretary-General

The League of European Research Universities (LERU) appointed Professor Kurt Deketelaere as its new Secretary-General during the LERU Rectors’ Assembly at KU Leuven earlier this week. He will take over the reins on 1 July from Dr. David Livesey, who retires after four years of service.

“I am delighted to take up this position and hope to meet the expectations of the LERU members. After five years in politics, this great European academic challenge feels like coming home”, says Deketelaere, who will serve a renewable five-year term.

As Secretary-General, Deketelaere plans to emphasise the need to maintain or increase the volume, effectiveness and efficiency of public and private investment in research, development and innovation, arguing that neither governments nor industry should reduce their R&D spending as a means of cutting costs during the present economic crisis.

Born in Belgium in 1966, Deketelaere is a full Professor of Environmental and Energy Law at KU Leuven, and Honorary Professor of Climate Change Law at the University of Dundee. He was recently Chief of Staff of the Cabinet of Hilde Crevits, Minister for Public Works, Energy, Environment and Nature in the Flemish Regional Government of Belgium.

From 2004 until 2007 he served as principal legal advisor in the same Cabinet under Kris Peeters, who was then Minister and is now Minister-President of the Flemish Regional Government. In both positions, Deketelaere played a role in the reform of the Flemish environmental and energy policy and legislation, laying the foundations of a balanced and appropriate environmental and energy policy, within a European framework.