📎 Who we are

The UGent Human Rights Research Network (HRRN) is an interdisciplinary research consortium aimed at societal impact. The HRRN brings together the researchers of Ghent University and associated university colleges who want to collaborate and make a positive difference for human rights through their research and knowledge. The network consists of professors from numerous disciplinary backgrounds and their research groups, totalling more than 200 affiliated researchers. Together they represent the following faculties and university colleges: Law and Criminology, Arts and Philosophy, Health and Health Sciences, Engineering and Architecture, Economics and Business, Psychology and Pedagogical Sciences, Bioengineering, Political and Social Sciences, KASK and HoGent.

The HRRN has two main goals. On the one hand, it promotes interdisciplinary cooperation in human rights research. In this way it wants to ensure an increase in knowledge and excellent research on human rights at Ghent University. On the other hand, the HRRN fosters the societal impact of this knowledge and research in close cooperation with societal stakeholders.

The HRRN is an open and dynamic consortium that welcomes all UGent researchers who want to contribute to strengthening human rights. Are you a researcher affiliated to Ghent University (Association) and would you like to join the HRRN? Do not hesitate to contact us.

WHAT WE DO

The Human Rights Research Network (HRRN) supports inter- and transdisciplinary human rights research and societal impact through a variety of initiatives. 

HRRN ♥ Ghent University

We advise and support initiatives that embed human rights into Ghent University’s institutional practices, research, education, and campus culture. Our goal is to reinforce human rights-based approaches across the university and help position Ghent University as a leading Human Rights University.

HRRN ♥ City of Ghent

We collaborate with the City of Ghent to foster human rights within local policies and practices. This includes amongst others:

• Membership in the local Human Rights Council
• Human rights-focused Master’s theses in collaboration with city actors
• Facilitating transdisciplinary workshops on local human rights challenges

HRRN ♥ Society

We bridge science and society by sharing human rights-related knowledge in formats that spark critical thinking and informed public opinion. Through public debates, film screenings, podcasting and other outreach initiatives, we contribute to strengthening the support base for human rights in society.

HRRN ♥ Policy makers and practitioners

Policy-makers and practitioners play a critical role in realizing human rights standards, yet they often face challenges in translating these norms into effective policy and practice. Academics produce valuable knowledge that may support these actors. Through capacity-building in stakeholder analysis and engagement strategies, we strengthen our researchers’ ability to collaborate meaningfully with policy makers and practitioners, thereby contributing to bridging gaps in the implementation of human rights.

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Are you a researcher and would like to join the network? Learn how you can get involved here

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Background and internal organisation

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The Human Rights Research Network (HRRN) was launched in September 2020 at the initiative of Prof. Eva Brems. Since then, the network has grown into a dynamic platform that supports several permanent pathways to societal impact reaching a wide range of audiences. You can explore these under our Impact Projects. In addition, HRRN actively fosters human rights public dialogue through lectures, seminars, workshops, and film screenings — discover more under our Events. To conduct its activities, the HRRN has set up the following operational structures:

‘Coordination Team’

Dr. Giselle Corradi and Hanna Kozachenko, who you can reach through this website by clicking the section ‘contact’

‘Co-supervisors spokespersons’

Prof. Ellen Desmet and Prof. Tine Destrooper

‘Steering Group’

In the second cycle of activities (2024-2028): Prof. Eva Brems (Law and Criminology), Prof. Stef Craps (Literature), Marjolein De Pau, (Criminology and Psychology, leader of the podcast project ‘Oprecht’), Prof. Elisabeth De Schauwer (Special Needs Education), Prof. Ellen Desmet (Law and Criminology), Prof. Tine Destrooper (Law and Criminology), Prof. Bart Deygers (Translation and Interpreting), Dr. Elke Evrard (Law and Criminology, co-leader of the working group on ‘interdisciplinary knowledge and human rights’), Dr. Brigitte Herremans (Law and Criminology, leader of the project ‘Literatuur en Mensenrechten’), Prof. Marijke D’Haese (Bioscience Engineering), Prof. Jan Orbie (Political Sciences); Prof. Pierre Schoentjes (Literature); Prof. Koen Schoors (Economy), Prof. Christel Stalpaert (Theater Sciences), Peter Vanden Abeele (Architecture).