Faculty Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance (FDEF)

FDEF Chairs

The Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance actively seeks out meaningful partnerships with companies and institutions in Luxembourg. These partnerships anchor the FDEF’s research within the financial centre and business community, the start-up ecosystem, the European institutions and other sectors of Luxembourg industry and society. As well as promoting closer ties between research and practice, they offer exciting opportunities to the best of our students.

    Academic chairs hosted at FDEF combine teaching and research activities in a domain which is strategic for the faculty and the external partners (public or private sector). The aims are to build long-term research excellence with high impact and set up a special educational offer (course, module, track, master programme, professional/executive education) which incorporates and builds on this research excellence.

    Current Funded Chairs

    Capital Markets and Post-Trade

    About the chair: The Chair in Capital Markets and Post-Trade is dedicated to teaching and research activities in the field of capital market infrastructures with a focus on Post-Trade Finance. The goal of the Chair is to stimulate research about the capital markets and post-trade industry, to establish a strong research centre of European nature and to establish a European research network which could also enter into a dialogue with equivalent non-European research networks and/or centres (research objective), foster increased cooperation between the financial institutions/the financial industry and ancillary service providers on the one side and the academic world on the other side (institutional objective), create a new academic profile with a strong knowledge of capital market infrastructure issues and financial stability, which could encompass both theoretical aspects and empirical analysis (education objective) and generate awareness of the importance of the capital market infrastructures for finance and the economy (communication/outreach objective).

    Chair partners

    Clearstream logo

    Mission

    The Chair in Cyber Policy aims to examine new technologies and their potential multidimensional and multilevel impact which can affect governments, private actors and societies at large. In parallel, it aims to promote informed debate around cyber policy issues, engaging in rigorous and inclusive reflections to comprehend how to ensure the security of cyberspace, looking in particular at the laws and policies relevant therein. Special attention is also given to providing individuals with an understanding and experience of cyber policy, equipping them with a conceptual toolkit that allows them to consciously navigate the digital era, keeping cyberspace safe and secure.

    About the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs: The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MFEA) defines and implements Luxembourg’s foreign and European policy. It coordinates the Luxembourg government’s external action. The MFEA acts in the best interest of Luxembourg and its citizens. It endeavours to promote a coherent approach towards diplomacy, defence, development and immigration.

    Rector Stéphane Pallage and Minister François Bausch at the signing ceremony for the Chair in Cyber Policy, 20 April 2022

    Chair partner

    Chairholder Expertise

    • Management science
    • Innovation in start-ups
    • Interorganisational strategy

    Chair Objectives

    • Supporting education through the Master in Entrepreneurship and Innovation programme
    • Supporting research through the funding of academic positions
    • Developing applied research on the topic of entrepreneurship in Luxembourg through the Observatory of Entrepreneurship

    History and mission

    The University of Luxembourg and the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce have worked together since the launch of the Master in Entrepreneurship and Innovation in 2007. This collaboration was reinforced in 2014 when a privileged partnership was formally established between the parties. In July 2020, the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce and the University of Luxembourg decided to further strengthen their partnership through the creation of a dedicated Chair in Entrepreneurship and Innovation within the Department of Economics and Management.

    The Chair, funded by the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, works towards the goals of enriching the student experience by promoting contact between students and business and offering a training curriculum adapted to the realities of the economic landscape, as well as conducting applied research in the area of entrepreneurship and innovation. The Chair also includes a postdoctoral researcher position and an observatory, which conducts research to provide an analysis of the state of entrepreneurship in Luxembourg.

    Chair impact

    • Block, J., Hansen, C., & Steinmetz, H. (in press). Are Family Firms Doing More Innovation Output With Less Innovation Input? A Replication and Extension. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587221084249 
    • Evans, T., Géraudel, M. “Analyse des classements internationaux liés à l’entrepreneuriat, l’innovation et la digitalisation – Benchmark du Luxembourg”, L’Observatoire de L’Entrepreneuriat, 2022. 
    • Evans, T., Géraudel, M. “Diagnostic des forces et faiblesses du Luxembourg. Étude des classements internationaux liés à l’entrepreneuriat, l’innovation et la digitalisation”, L’Observatoire de L’Entrepreneuriat, 2021.   
    • Evans, T., Géraudel, M. “Dossier recherche : l’écosystème d’entrepreneuriat et l’écosystème digital”, L’Observatoire de L’Entrepreneuriat, 2022. 
    • Evans, T., Géraudel, M. “La Transformation Digitale des PME au Luxembourg”, L’Observatoire de L’Entrepreneuriat, 2022.  
    • Hansen, C., & Block, J. (2021). Public family firms and capital structure: A meta-analysis. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 29(3), 297-319.
    • Hansen, C., Steinmetz, H., & Block, J. (2022). How to conduct a meta-analysis in eight steps: a practical guide. Management Review Quarterly, 72(1), 1-19.
    • Jaskiewicz, P., Block, J., Wagner, D., Carney, M., & Hansen, C. (2021). How do cross-country differences in institutional trust and trust in family explain the mixed performance effects of family management? A meta-analysis. Journal of World Business, 56(5).
    • Korbi F., Géraudel M. & Nakara W. (In press). Toward an understanding of the implementation of management innovation in international joint ventures: A multilevel perspective. European Management Review, https://doi.org/10.1111/emre.12544
    • Usanova, K., Geraudel, M., D’Armagnac, S., & Telitsyna, A. (2022). Managing talent in mission driven organizations: A qualitative exploration. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 33(22), 3879-3912.  

    Chair partner

    Mission

    Appui au Développement Autonome (ADA) and the University of Luxembourg’s Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance founded the ADA Chair in Financial Law (Inclusive Finance) in 2014. The activities of the Chair in terms of research, teaching and networking/knowledge exchange were launched in March 2016 under Prof. Dirk Andreas Zetzsche.

    The Chair will allow both ADA and the University to be at the forefront of this emerging field and make substantial contributions to their study and practical application.

    The ADA Chair will:

    • focus on European and international financial law, with a special emphasis on all aspects of inclusive and alternative finance/FinTech;
    • establish a Certificate of Advanced Studies in “Law and Regulation of Inclusive Finance” (more information);
    • organise conferences on relevant topics related to financial law and inclusive finance, giving international visibility to Luxembourg and the ADA Chair in this domain;
    • publish high-quality research in the field of financial law and inclusive finance;
    • participate in national, European and international conferences, lectures, debates and political discussions;
    • help make Luxembourg a European hub for the law and regulation of alternative finance and FinTech.

    Prof. Zetzsche will also bring his expertise to the already existing study programmes offered at the University of Luxembourg’s Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance.

    Chair partners

    About the Chairholder

    Isabelle Riassetto is the Chairholder of the Chair in Investment Fund Law in partnership with Arendt and Elvinger Hoss Prussen. Prof. Riassetto holds a PhD in Private Law (1999, summa cum laude) from the Robert Schuman University of Strasbourg.

    Before joining University of Luxembourg as a Professor in Commercial Law in 2008, Prof. Riassetto was associate professor in France (University of Nancy 2, University of Strasbourg), then Professor in Private Law (University of Le Havre Normandy). She has a long experience of teaching in Commercial Law, Company Law, Banking and Financial Market law, Wealth management, Financial deontology. Since 2008, her teaching activity is focused on Investment Fund Law (European, Comparative and Luxembourg law). Her main areas of research focus on Investment Fund Law, as well as Financial Services and Socially Responsible Investment. She is the author of numerous publications, notably in the field of Investment Fund Law.

    Chairholder Expertise

    • Investment Fund Law
    • Asset Management Law
    • Financial Market Law
    • Socially Responsible Investment

    Chair Objectives

    • Develop a Master programme dedicated to Investment Fund Law, in order to attract and train the talents of tomorrow, meeting the needs and challenges of the Luxembourg market;
    • Develop cutting-edge research, with high impact and local, european and international influence in the field of Investment Fund Law;
    • Ensure the promotion and transfer of knowledge in Investment Fund Law to the various stakeholders, public and private, national, european or international

    History and mission

    The Arendt and Elvinger Hoss Prussen Chair in Investment Fund Law was launched in February 2023. With the support of a team of researchers and administrative staff, the Chairholder oversees the teaching, research and outreach  of the five-year project which also includes a Master in Investment Law (LL.M).

    The Master in Investment Law is the first programme of its kind in Europe, taking advantage of the unique position of Luxembourg as leader in global fund distribution and the second largest investment fund centre worldwide. Luxembourg law firms, Arendt and Elvinger Hoss Prussen, lend their expertise to the development of the Master programme and ensure that course content remains up-to-date and practially applicable.  This bilingual French-English programme, accessible to students after having completed an M1 in Law, falls within the strategy of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance to offer “niche” programmes in domaines in which Luxembourg has special expertise and/or a significant need to develop the sector, not only increasing employment perspectives for graduates, but also attracting talent to Luxembourg.

    The research component of the Chair focuses on state-of-the-art research in both investment products that are thriving in Luxembourg such as private equity funds, property funds, debt funds and European long-term investment funds (ELTIFs) and transversal subjects such as investment funds and Company Law, fintech and investment funds, cross-border distribution of investment funds. Knowledge transfer and outreach activities include an annual international Investment Fund conference organised by the Chair as well as regular thematic workshops.

    Contacts

    Chair partners

    In 2010, the University of Luxembourg and the global satellite operator SES S.A. entered into a partnership with the aim of jointly developing Luxembourg as a European centre of excellence and innovation for advanced Information Communications Technology in satellite systems. Since then the University of Luxembourg and SES collaborate on research in:

    • satellite applications and services;
    • satellite hybrid networks;
    • transmission and reception technologies.

    A key component of this partnership was the creation of the first Chair in Satellite Communications and Media Law in 2010, with a research focus on the legal and regulatory challenges in satellite communications. The SES Chair in Satellite Communications and Media Law, commonly called SES chair, is an academic member of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance at the University of Luxembourg. In September 2011, Professor Mahulena Hofmann was appointed as the SES Chair in Satellite Communications and Media Law.

    In addition to the research undertaken in these fields, the SES Chair contributes to existing media law research by including space law and global telecommunications issues. In addition, Professor Hofmann contributes to the interdisciplinary research at the University’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT).

    Academic programmes

    Starting in the winter semester of 2011, the SES Chair launched a series of classes in the Master programme in European Law focusing on the legal framework of International Space and Telecommunications. The course was concluded with a student seminar “Building a Satellite: Legal Issues” which took place in the SES premises in Betzdorf, Luxembourg.

    The 2012 summer semester was devoted to the European Space and Communications Law, with an emphasis on the European Space Agency (ESA), the Galileo programme, as well as the complex European Union legislation and jurisprudence on European communications.

    Recognition

    Since 2012, the SES Chair Professor Mahulena Hofmann is part of the Board of Directors of the International Institute of Space Law and appointed to the Permanent Court of Arbitration for disputes relating to outer space activities.

    About SES

    SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) wholly owns the market-leading satellite operators SES ASTRA, SES WORLD SKIES and SES SIRIUS in Europe, and participations in Ciel in Canada, QuetzSat in Mexico as well as a participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a global fleet of 41 satellites in 26 orbital locations.

    Chair partner

    History and mission

    Michael Halling joined the University of Luxembourg in January 2021, as a Full Professor within the Department of Finance, and moved into his current role as the Chair and coordinator of the research program in Sustainable Finance.

    The Chair created a track in Sustainable Finance in the second year of the MSc in Finance and Economics. The Sustainable Finance Track has been designed by academics and industry professionals with experience in modelling and managing sustainability risks, performing ESG (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance) due-diligence assessments of investments and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) reports. Students are equipped with the latest academic as well as practical knowledge required to join the labor market and tackle challenges associated with the transition towards a more sustainable society.  

    For professionals, a Certificate in Sustainable Finance has also been developed within the framework of the Chair. The goal of this 8-day programme is to teach professionals state-of-the-art thinking and core concepts in the area of Sustainable Finance. Most importantly, the certificate provides a comprehensive foundation of sustainable finance that will cover all relevant aspects including important financial concepts, the regulatory and legal dimension, and current reporting standards. 

    Chair partners

    Past Funded Chairs

    Chairholder Expertise

    • Logistic and supply chain management
    • Energy trading and energy markets
    • Quantitative methods in economics & managment
    • Operations research and management science
    • Data science and machine learning

    Chair Objectives

    • Implement an academic programme that encompasses the study of new technologies for procurement and data-driven decision-making
    • Foster research on how data and machine learning can support procurement
    • contribute to establishing a Procurement Excellence Platform in Luxembourg

    History and mission

    Inaugurated in 2020, the Chair in Digital Procurement’s mission is firstly to train Master students in the use of new technologies for procurement and supply chain management. Offering a specialised Digitial Procurement Track within the Master of Logisitics and Supply Chain Management, the study programme connects students with partner companies to pursue research projects in the field of procurement with special emphasis on the impact of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain. The programme is supported by the CPO Club, an organisation composed of chief procurement officers from multiple multinational companies that operate their procurement organisation from Luxembourg. 

    Within the framework of the Chair, the Chairholder and his team also conduct research in related fields, presenting their findings at conferences and in peer-reviewed journals. In addition to his role as Study Programme Director for the Master Track in Digitial Procurement, the Chairholder also supervises the research of several PhD candidates. In 2023, the Chair aims to establish a lab for computational analysis, visualisation, and education (CAVE Lab) to develop interactive dashboards for decision-making together with the Chair’s corporate partners, which will give students and researchers a tool that allows them to demo and test simulation, optimisation, and machine learning models 

    Luxembourg offers a unique combination of factors that have encouraged the creation of this Chair such as the presence of high-profile companies with procurement-related activities, the CPO Club, the logistics pillar of the economy, the LCL, and the digital strategy embraced by the government.

    Chair impact

    • 9 December 2022 – Co-host of Sustainability Lunch Talk on How Solar Cells Help Mitigate the Climate Crisis
    • 16 March 2022 – LCL x FSTM Energy Seminar: Demand Side Flexibility in Energy Systems 
    • 14 September 2021 – Keynote at the ICT Sping 2021 Digital Supply Chain Europe event  
    • 30 June 2021 – LCL x FSTM Energy Seminar: Flexibility for the Energy System of the Future 
    • 9 March 2021 – Moderator for panel discussion on Data-driven Supply Chains during the LCL eXplore Conference 2021

    Chair partner

    In June 2009, ATOZ and the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance of the University of Luxembourg signed an agreement creating a Chair for European and International Taxation. The ATOZ Chair for European and International Taxation –commonly called ATOZ Chair – was the first Chair of the Faculty benefiting from external financing.

    The Chair was set up to develop research activities and education of high quality in international and European tax law. The overarching goal of ATOZ in this partnership is to raise the level of knowledge of tax issues in Luxembourg. Since 2012, the Chair is funded by the ATOZ Foundation.

    The ATOZ Chair is contributing to that vision through the organisation of seminars and conferences, as well as the launch of the Master in European and International Tax Law (LL.M.) in 2011.

    “By financing this chair, ATOZ shows not only a great generosity but also shows a deep trust in the development of the Faculty”, underlined André Prüm, former Dean of the Faculty. “Beyond the activities of teaching and research in European and International Tax Law, this first chair has a symbolic and important value for a faculty which intends to answer the challenges the economy of the Grand Duchy faces”.

    Pictured from left to right: Stéphane Pallage, Katalin Ligeti, Tonika Hirdman, Werner Haslehner, Yves Elsen and Keith O’Donnell at the ATOZ Chair 10th anniversary celebration and signing ceremony to extend funding for 5 more years (25.02.2020).

    Academic programmes

    As a key element of the Chair activities, a new LL.M. specialisation in European and International Tax Law has been created by Prof. Dr. Alexander Rust, holder of the chair from 2011 to 2014. Since its inaugural year, the LL.M. specialisation has attracted a diverse group of talented students, leading to a promising outlook for the academic years ahead. With courses in Luxembourg tax law, European tax law, and international tax treaties, students evaluate the interaction of legal systems at all levels and learn how to make use of the extensive Luxembourg tax treaty network. Modules address topics such as mergers & acquisitions, taxation of investment funds, and VAT, offering students a comprehensive understanding of crucial tax issues and the most current trends.

    A highlight of the programme is the case study drafted in collaboration with law and tax advising firms in Luxembourg. This hands-on collaborative project is very well received by students, providing them an opportunity to work under the supervision and guidance of seasoned practitioners. The contribution of guest professors, coming for instance from the Ministry of Finance, the European Court of Justice, and tax law firms add to the quality instruction of the Faculty. This emphasis on incorporating practical experience and engagement with practitioners is certainly an added value for the programme. In this way, students will have exposure to real tax issues in addition to the important theoretical tax questions.

    The objective of this specialisation is to prepare graduates to become leaders in their respective areas of tax expertise – in a private law practice or accounting firm, in government administration, in the judicial system, or in academia.

    About the Chairholder

    Since June 2015,  Prof. Dr. Werner Haslehner, LL.M. (LSE) has been the holder of the ATOZ Chair for European and International Taxation at the University of Luxembourg, where he is also full professor and the Course Director for the Master in European and International Taxation LL.M. programme. Prior to this appointment to the ATOZ Chair, he was Associate Professor at the University of Luxembourg (2013-1015). Before coming to Luxembourg, he held positions as Assistant Professor at the Department for Finance Law, Tax Law and Tax Policy at Johannes Kepler University Linz (2009-2010 and 2012-2013), as research assistant at the same department (2006-2009) and as post-doctoral Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science (2010-2012).

    Prof. Haslehner specialises in international tax law, tax policy and European law, frequently publishing and lecturing on these topics in and outside Europe. He is also interested in the integration of economic and legal research, and holds a Master’s degree in business and economics in addition to his training as a lawyer.

    His PhD thesis concerned the international and European law framework for the non-discrimination of permanent establishments and was published by Linde in 2009. The thesis received several academic prizes, most notably the European Academic Tax Thesis Award, by the European Association of Tax Law Professors jointly with the EU Commission.

    Prof. Haslehner has been a visiting professor at the University of Paris 1 Sorbonne in 2018, the University of Turin in 2019, and a Global Research Fellow at NYU School of Law in 2020. In autumn 2023, he is Visiting Professor at the University of São Paulo.He regularly provides independent expert advice on matters of Luxembourg and European tax law to governmental institutions, NGOs, and taxpayers. The Luxembourg government appointed him as “independent person of standing” for arbitration proceedings under both the Tax Dispute Resolution Directive and the EU Arbitration Convention.

    Research & Events

    In addition to the Master specialisation, the ATOZ Chair organised the following public conferences and academic events:

    Stemming from these, the University of Luxembourg has published a series of books:

    About the ATOZ Foundation and ATOZ

    Established in 2012 and acting under the aegis of the Fondation de Luxembourg, the ATOZ Foundation’s mission is to support local and international projects, which are focused on education. Whether it be supporting biomedical research in a Luxembourg laboratory or helping children with learning disabilities succeed at school, the ATOZ Foundation aims to provide opportunities for learning and discovery at all levels.

    ATOZ is a Luxembourg-based advisory firm offering a comprehensive and integrated range of tax and corporate finance services. As a high-end independent advisory firm, ATOZ partners have been at the heart of the development of the tax system over the last 20 years and are uniquely qualified to help clients maximise the value of their business by making the most of the opportunities Luxembourg offers. ATOZ partners and teams all come from top professional service firms and are accustomed to delivering the highest quality service in the most challenging environments. Additionally, ATOZ was awarded the ‘Great Place to Work 2013’ from the Great Place to Work Institute, which is given to organizations that provide an optimal working environment to their employees.

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