Honorary Doctorate RECIPIENT 2024

PROFESSOR

HENK KUMMELING

DOCTOR PHILOSOPHIAE

Professor Henk Kummeling, Rector Magnificus of Utrecht University in the Netherlands, earned his doctorate in law at Nijmegen, then served as Professor of Constitutional and Administrative Law at Tilburg University and Professor of Constitutional Law at Utrecht University. Utrecht subsequently appointed him Dean of the Faculty of Law, Economics, Governance and Organisation, and distinguished university professor in the field of Comparative Constitutional Law. In 2013, UWC awarded him an extraordinary professorship.

Prof Kummeling was president of the Dutch Electoral Council, chair of the State Committee on the Rule of Law, and has authored books and articles on numerous subjects including freedom of expression and academic freedom, parliamentary law and electoral law. His passion for education is evident through chairing the committee that introduced the “Utrecht educational model”, teaching in numerous countries and being voted ‘Teacher of the Year’ by law students at Utrecht and Tilburg numerous times.

As Rector Magnificus, Prof Kummeling advocates for and emphasises the importance of interdisciplinarity in research and education, international collaboration, small-scale and intensive education, and the university’s social impact. His goal is to ensure that Utrecht University is a place “with a head AND with a heart”.