Oduwole, assumes Prince Claus Chair

Nigeria’s Jumoke Oduwole has been appointed Chairholder of the Prince Claus Chair; a position for outstanding young academics from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean or the Pacific.

Jumoke, a researcher and lecturer in the Department of Commercial & Industrial Law, University of Lagos in Nigeria, is the fourth African to assume the Chair. As Chairholder, she is expected to conduct extensive research in an area aligned with Prince Claus’ work for a period of two years. A quarter  of her tenure will be spent in residence each year teaching and also speaking at several other institutions across The Netherlands or elsewhere in the world to elevate the level of discourse on her research topic, which is the right to development in the African context.

The Prince Claus Chair in Development and Equity was established by Utrecht University and the International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam, in honour of Prince Claus of the Netherlands (1926-2002).

Established in 2003, for the advancement of research and teaching in the field of development cooperation, the objective of the Prince Claus Chair is to continue the work of Prince Claus in development and equity by establishing a rotating Chair. The Utrecht University and the International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam identifies and alternately appoints an outstanding young academic from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean or the Pacific to the Prince Claus Chair.

Prior to the selection and nomination of the candidate, the Curatorium identifies the main themes or topics for the period in question, after which the Curatorium suggests potential candidates to the appropriate institute. The institute appoints the Chair holder.

An elected member of the University of Lagos Senate, Jumoke is also required to discharge her academic debt to the Institute of Social Sciences, Erasmus University by delivering an inaugural lecture next spring at The Hague, in the presence of HRH Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and other members of the royal family, leading academics from across the Netherlands and top government officials and the diplomatic corps.

With an LL.M from Cambridge University, UK; a Masters degree in International Legal Studies and a doctorate in International trade and development from Stanford Law School, USA, Dr. Oduwole was recently selected as one of 25 fellows in the inaugural 2012/2013 “Leadership for Change in Africa” programme (West Africa), an initiative by the Private Investors for Africa (PIA).

She is a member of the BMW Foundation Global Young Leaders Network and currently sits on the Board of the “Know Your Constitution” Initiative. She also assists the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) research department in an advisory capacity.

An outstanding professional and talented researcher, Jumoke sees this as “an incredible opportunity to develop and present well thought-out, practical ideas about international trade and development from an African perspective on a global platform.”

Her current research interests include International Trade and Development and China in Africa.

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