Paul de Hert

Dr. Paul de Hert is an Associate Professor at Tilburg Law School (TILT) at Tilburg University, specializing in privacy, data protection, and criminal law. He holds an external position at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) since 2006. His research focuses on socio-technical regulation, surveillance, and human rights within EU legal frameworks. Key areas include the governance of new technologies, proportionality in regulatory practices, and judicial oversight mechanisms.

De Hert earned law, philosophy, and religious sciences degrees from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Université Libre de Bruxelles, and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (1985–1992). He has taught at Tilburg, Leiden, and VUB, covering topics like criminal law, human rights, and data protection. He co-founded the annual Computers, Privacy, and Data Protection (CPDP) conference and established the Brussels Privacy Hub.

His work integrates constitutional theory with practical legal challenges, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to digital governance. Recent publications include edited volumes on AI and data protection (2025), facial recognition regulation (2024), and proportionality in EU digital law (2024). He has contributed to over 360 research outputs and actively participates in academic activities, including editorial roles and international conferences.