About
Katja Zimmermann is an Assistant Professor of Private Law at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Law. She holds multiple academic positions, including Senior Researcher at KU Leuven’s Research Group for Safeguarding in the Church and Voluntary Research Associate at the Centre for Catholic Social Thought (KU Leuven). Her research focuses on property law, Catholic social teaching, and combating power abuse in legal contexts, particularly in outer space and within the Catholic Church. She has been awarded the Niels Stensen Fellowship for her work on ethical frameworks for extraterrestrial property rights.
Education includes a PhD in European cross-border real estate transactions (Maastricht University), LL.B. and LL.M. degrees from Maastricht University, and advanced theology studies at Tilburg University and KU Leuven. Current studies include Magister Theologiae and Licentiate of Canon Law at the University of Münster.
Zimmermann’s research explores interdisciplinary topics such as sustainable property rights, institutional liability in abuse cases, and legal frameworks for outer space. Her recent publications analyze EU succession regulation impacts on land registries and ethical prerequisites for extraterrestrial property systems. She actively contributes to legal education through courses like 'Property Law' and 'Private Law in Context.'
Key awards include the Niels Stensen Fellowship (2022). Her ancillary activities include roles at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas and Maastricht European Private Law Institute. Zimmermann’s work bridges law, theology, and ethics, addressing modern challenges in property rights and institutional accountability.
