The Centre for Human Rights wishes to congratulate Prof Elsabe Schoeman on her appointment as Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Pretoria, for the period 1 November 2019 to 31 October 2023. We are pleased to note that Prof Schoeman is also the first woman to be appointed in this position in the Faculty’s history of more than 100 years.

Professor Schoeman joined the Department of Private Law at UP in 2016. She was a member of the Law School at the University of Auckland (New Zealand) for 14 years, where she also served as the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law and as the Deputy Director of the cross-faculty Europe Institute.

Professor Schoeman’s main interests are in private international law and comparative law. Her main areas of research are jurisdiction in cross-border civil and commercial litigation and choice of law in contract, delict/tort and selected areas of family law.

The Centre looks forward to working with Prof Schoeman, and with her support to continue its work on combining academic excellence and effective activism to advance human rights, particularly in Africa.

The Centre is grateful towards the outgoing Dean, Prof André Boraine, who was a great supporter, ally and enabler of the Centre’s work during his two terms. Under his leadership, the Faculty established itself as the top African law faculty (according to Times Higher Education ratings). We wish Prof Boraine well in his future endeavours.