KU Leuven is a research-intensive, internationally oriented university that conducts both fundamental and applied scientific research. It has a strong inter- and multidisciplinary focus and strives for international excellence. To this end, the Faculty and the Research Unit actively collaborate with research partners in Belgium and abroad.
The Faculty of Law and Criminology of the Humanities and Social Sciences Group of KU Leuven has a vacancy for a part-time (80%) position as an assistant professor in ICT Law at the Centre for IT and IP law (CiTiP). The position involves scientific research, teaching at an academic level and additional tasks of an academic nature, including service tasks.
The Faculty of Law and Criminology has a strong national and international reputation for teaching, research and service in the broad area of information technology law and intellectual property rights. It pursues leadership in each of these spheres at the national, European and international levels. In doing so, the Faculty wishes to distinguish itself through the academic nature of its work and its awareness of the major societal role of this research area. The technicality of the legal domain is therefore to be transcended through originality in research, attention to values, awareness of the interaction of legal rules in a multi-layered legal order, and intra- and interdisciplinarity.
The Centre for IT and IP Law (CiTiP) is a dynamic research group with a gender-balanced and culturally diverse team of over 90 researchers (at junior and senior level, supported by a professional administrative staff), representing over 15 nationalities. Ongoing research activities cover legal-ethical aspects of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, privacy and data protection technologies, e-health, human enhancement and pharma, media and telecommunications, (cyber)security and cybercrime, data governance and transactions, bio- and food technologies, and IP protection and licensing in the analogue and digital environments (copyright, design rights and trademarks, patent and breeders’ rights, trade secrets). CiTiP endorses the vision that academic excellence is achieved through the combination of outstanding research and education, in which societal impact is achieved by sharing knowledge. In doing so, we recognise that excellence is not only achieved through individual performance, but mostly through team effort in which each team member acts as a leader connecting people.
Duties
Research
As an assistant professor you will develop a research programme in the broad domain of ICT Law, in collaboration with professors and senior staff with extensive expertise in neighbouring research areas. The focus of your research will be on one or more sub-areas of ICT Law: digital technologies, markets and platforms; cybersecurity and cybercrime; media, communications and entertainment; legal informatics; eHealth and human enhancement.
You will be expected to:
- carry out independent research, develop an internationally competitive research programme and pursue excellent scientific results;
- develop national and international partnerships;
- show commitment to a multidisciplinary approach and intensive collaboration with other research groups at KU Leuven;
- supervise and coach master’s students, PhD/junior researchers and postdoctoral researchers;
- seek to acquire competitive research funding from national and international funds;
- have a keen interest in fundamental research, while also paying attention to the valorisation and practical application of research results, e.g. through contacts with policymakers and stakeholders and by engaging in applied research that is relevant for decisionmakers and legal practice;
- be prepared to familiarise yourself with the conceptual tools and methods of philosophical ethics, technology ethics or science & technology studies;
- coordinate one or more research clusters at CiTiP in the domain of ICT law.
Teaching
Both the Research Unit and the Faculty attach importance to strong personal commitment to teaching assignments and broad employability as a lecturer.
Your teaching must meet the requirements of academic programmes in terms of level, orientation and substance. It must be consistent with KU Leuven’s vision on activating and research-based education and learning. A commitment to the overall high quality of our educational programmes is considered self-evident.
The teaching assignment involves several courses in the broad domain of ICT Law at both bachelor’s, master's and ManaMa level, to be taught in Dutch or English. Our courses are taught to both bigger and smaller groups of students at the different KU Leuven campuses. This includes students in Law, as well as students in other disciplines. The teaching assignment also includes the supervision of master’s theses.
You are willing to participate in interactive and innovative forms of teaching and help develop these further within the Faculty.
Service
Your duties also include the provision of scientific, societal and internal services (such as serving on University and Faculty committees and availability to the government, society and press for science communication).
You help to develop specific initiatives, including in the context of KU Leuven Engage.
You are expected to play an active part in the general management of the Research Unit, to actively contribute to its financial stability by raising funds for research and/or education, and to supervise ongoing projects and coach junior researchers who are applying for grants.
You will contribute to the academic flourishing and visibility of the Research Unit, the Faculty of Law and Criminology, and KU Leuven in general, by helping to organise conferences, workshops, and other events.
Profile
You have achieved excellence in study and research and you hold a PhD in Law (or at the very least you have set a date for your public PhD defence that is prior to the starting date of the appointment) and can demonstrate expertise in ICT law through publications and other research achievements.
You have an excellent research track record, which includes international peer-reviewed publications and/or other research achievements that demonstrate originality, a capacity for abstraction and openness to multi- and/or interdisciplinary research. You have specialised knowledge of, and expertise in, one or more of the following subfields of ICT law: digital technologies, markets and platforms; cybersecurity and cybercrime; media, communications and entertainment; legal informatics; eHealth and human enhancement.
We will take into account your current career stage when evaluating your application.
You have experience with, or demonstrated interest in, interdisciplinary research projects, and you are able to bridge the gap between legal and other disciplines, especially engineering and computer sciences. You are familiar with the various channels for research funding at national and international level. Successful applications in the past and familiarity with science and technology ethics are a plus.
You have a well thought-out vision of and the capability to provide high-quality, research-based academic education and possess excellent didactic skills. Teaching experience is a plus. If you have evaluations of previous teaching assignments at your disposal, please add them to your application.
Finally, you possess demonstrable organisational, social, professional and leadership skills, and you are committed to engage collegially and flexibly in teams within CiTiP, the Faculty of Law and Criminology, and the interdisciplinary institutes and strategic research centres with which CiTiP collaborates (such as Leuven.AI, DigiSoc and imec).
Experience in legal practice is not required, but can be considered an asset.
The official administrative and teaching language of KU Leuven is Dutch. If you have no or insufficient knowledge of Dutch at the start of your appointment, KU Leuven offers language courses which will allow you to participate in board meetings. Candidates who are not Dutch-speaking should be willing to master Dutch at CEFR level B1 no later than one and a half years after recruitment, and at CEFR level C1 three years after recruitment.
In addition, a good oral and written command of English is required. Knowledge of other languages, especially French, is a plus. KU Leuven offers training opportunities to strengthen your language skills.
For CiTiP's involvement in strategic research programmes at the national and regional levels, it is important that the selected candidate is able to connect with the broader legal community in Belgium, and in particular in Flanders. The candidate is able to study the law in its multi-layered nature, i.e. with attention to the international, supranational, national and regional levels.
Offer
We offer a part-time (80%) employment in an intellectually stimulating environment.
You will be recruited at the rank of assistant professor for a period of 3 years, with a realistic chance of extension to 95% and/or extended duration if funding is available. Candidates who are more advanced in their career can be recruited at the rank of associate professor.
In Belgium, each of these ranks are positions with ius promovendi that offer a prospect of promotion to full professor without your needing to apply for a new vacancy.
As a senior academic staff member, in the course of your career you will have the possibility to make use of periods of sabbatical leave, during which you are exempted from regular duties. The purpose of these sabbaticals is to allow you to focus (even more) on your professional development or to recharge your academic batteries, without loss of salary.
You will work in Leuven, a historic, dynamic and lively city located in the heart of Belgium, within 20 minutes from Brussels, the capital of the European Union, and less than two hours from Paris, London and Amsterdam. However, you may also be asked to teach on one or more other KU Leuven campuses (e.g. in Brussels).
KU Leuven is well equipped to welcome foreign professors and their families and where possible offers practical support in the areas of immigration, housing, child care, learning Dutch, career coaching for the candidate’s partner, ...
To facilitate scientific onboarding and accelerate research in the first phase a starting grant of circa 110,000 euros is offered to new professors if they meet the eligibility criteria determined by KU Leuven.
More information
Terms of employment for senior academic staff
Vision on education and learning
KU Leuven Engage
Start-up grant for starting senior academic staff
Interested?
Please attach the following documents to your application:
- your biosketch (max. 2 pages; more information: see link above to website on terms of employment);
- an extensive cv including a full publication list;
- a statement outlining your vision on academic research and your research plan for the coming 3 years that demonstrates your added value for the research within CiTiP;
- a file on your 5 most important publications or achievements (more information: see link above to website on terms of employment);
- a statement on your vision on academic education;
- student evaluations, if you have any, from the last 5 years.
Should you have questions about the position, you can contact:
- Prof. Dr. Wouter Devroe, Dean Faculty of Law and Criminology, wouter.devroe@kuleuven.be
- Prof. Dr. Jan De Bruyne, Head of Unit CiTiP, jan.debruyne@kuleuven.be
For problems with online applying, please contact solliciteren@kuleuven.be.
KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.
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