Karel Velle

Karel Velle is a Belgian historian and archivist, currently serving as Director-General of the National Archives and State Archives in the Provinces. He is a part-time Associate Professor at the Department of History, Ghent University, teaching heuristics of modern history and archival law. Velle has held numerous leadership roles in archival organizations, including presidency of the Audit Commission of the International Council on Archives (2006–2010) and membership in the Royal Historical Commission since 2008.

• PhD in History (University of Ghent, 1988)
• Expertise in archival sciences, legal history, and socio-political history of medicine
• Recipient of the Sarton Medal and Prijs voor Medische Cultuur (1998)

His research spans the social and political history of law and justice (1795–present), institutional history of the public sector, and the cultural impact of medicalization in Belgium. As an archivist, he specializes in judicial archives and archival/information law. Velle contributes to international collaborations like the IAP project ''Justice & Populations'' and leads EURBICA, the European branch of the International Council on Archives.

• 2010: Elected to Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium
• 2006–2010: Leadership roles in International Council on Archives
• 2005: Member of Executive Board of FWO-Vlaanderen