Jan Ronse Institute for Company and Financial Law – PhD scholarship holder (100%)
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Belgium
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KU Leuven
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On Campus (Full Time)
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PhD Scholarship
Expired
On Campus (Full Time) Position Details (PhD Research Project)
The Jan Ronse Institute is a leading knowledge center for company and financial law and is part of the Faculty of Law and Criminology. With a young and dynamic team of professors, doctoral researchers, and practitioners, we strive for inspiring education in various legal and economic programmes at KU Leuven, as well as high-quality national and international research.
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Project
- In recent years, shareholders have become more activist within companies, particularly in the field of ESG. However, there are significant differences between jurisdictions, and only a few cross-border studies analyse these differences. You will therefore conduct legal research on ESG shareholder activism, with an important comparative law component.
- Your PhD forms the legal strand of an interdisciplinary research project on the theme “Interactions between regulation, frequency, and effectiveness of ESG shareholder activism”. You will carry out your research at the Faculty of Law and Criminology, under the supervision of Prof. Sofie Cools, and will also collaborate with a fellow PhD researcher, Prof. Ann Gaeremynck, and Prof. Steven Vanhaverbeke from the Faculty of Economics and Business, who are investigating the same topic from an economic perspective.
- You will have the opportunity to participate actively in academic life, including workshops, seminars, national and international conferences, joint and independent publication opportunities, etc.
- You will provide limited support for the teaching activities of the Jan Ronse Institute in the field of company law, such as tutorials, seminars, and master’s theses.
Profile
- You hold a Master of Laws degree or a Master in Economics, Law and Business Administration (ERB).
- You have a solid foundation and proven interest in company law.
- You achieved strong academic results (at least cum laude in both your bachelor’s and master’s degree).
- You have a good command of Dutch, English, and French.
- You are eager to learn, passionate about research, and have strong writing skills.
- You are willing to collaborate in an interdisciplinary context with the Faculty of Economics and Business (a basic knowledge of law and economics is an asset, but can also be acquired on the job).
- Candidates with practical experience are very welcome as well.
Offer
- A full-time appointment for one year, renewable up to four years.
- Workplace: KU Leuven campus in Leuven (De Valk, in the city center), with the possibility of partial remote work.
- Preferred starting date: October 2025, although a later start date can be discussed.
Interested?
For more information please contact Prof. Dr. Sofie Cools, tel.: +32 16 37 39 02, mail: [email protected].
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