KU Leuven Awards Columbia Law School Professor An Honorary Doctorate On Campus Kulak
On March 23, 2023, the Faculty of Law and Criminological Sciences of KU Leuven will award an honorary doctorate to international human rights lawyer and activist Amal Clooney on Campus Kulak in Kortrijk. The University pays tribute to Ms. Clooney for her commitment as a leading human rights activist, academic and advocate.
Amal Clooney is an attorney specializing in international law and human rights and is an adjunct professor at Columbia Law School. As a lawyer, she represents clients before international courts, including the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights. In 2016, she and her husband founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice. With the Foundation, they pursue justice by denouncing human rights violations around the world.
“With this honorary doctorate, we would like to recognize Ms. Clooney for her work and commitment as an academic, lawyer and leading human rights activist who champions humanitarian causes worldwide and fights against some of the world’s most disturbing human rights violations,” said Professor Gleider Hernández, promoter of the honorary doctorate. “Her commitment to protecting the rights of the most vulnerable serves as an inspiration to us all,” adds Professor Ingrid Boone, Campus Dean of Law in Kortrijk.
“Amal Clooney pleaded in just about all major court cases, ranging from the Lebanon Tribunal to the Yugoslavia Tribunal or the Armenian Genocide to the recent Ukrainian conflict. It is no coincidence that she enjoys international fame in her field. This awarding of an honorary doctorate at our campus promises to be a very special moment for our entire region and far beyond,” says Piet Desmet, Vice Rector of KU Leuven Campus Kulak Kortrijk. KU Leuven is actively committed to promoting and defending human rights. For example, in 2020 the university launched a human rights test that applies to all international agreements in the context of education, research and services, and also introduced a Human Rights Contact Point.”Integrity, solidarity and attention for the most vulnerable are core values of KU Leuven,” says Rector Luc Sels. “This honorary doctorate fits in very nicely with that.”