معرفی
Dr. Francien Dechesne serves as Endowed Professor of 'Data and AI for the Rule of Law' at Tilburg University through a joint appointment between the Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences (TSHD, lead school) and Tilburg Law School (TLS). Funded by the Ministry of Justice and Security's Research and Data Centre (WODC), her five-year term (2025-2030) is based in TSHD's Intelligent Systems department.
Her academic foundation includes:
- PhD in Mathematical Logic (Tilburg & Eindhoven Universities of Technology, 2005)
- Research on security protocol verification (Eindhoven, 2005-2009)
- Research on ethics of information technology (Delft, 2009-2014)
- Studies in mathematics (intuitionistic) and philosophy (Radboud University Nijmegen)
Dechesne's research confronts critical tensions between AI innovation and legal accountability, focusing on responsible data analysis frameworks for justice/security applications. She investigates how algorithmic opacity and biased training data undermine public trust—exemplified by the Child Benefits Affair—and develops governance models for rule-of-law-compliant AI in tax administration, law enforcement, and judicial systems. Her work uniquely bridges technical AI development with legal theory and societal impact assessment.
The WODC-funded chair establishes institutional collaboration between Tilburg University and the Ministry of Justice, prioritizing scientifically rigorous approaches to AI implementation in public governance. Dechesne leverages her pre-academic IT management experience and interdisciplinary scholarship to translate theoretical frameworks into actionable policy guidance for Dutch security agencies.
