Personal profile
Research interests
Gerhard van der Schyff's main research deals with various topics of comparative and European constitutional law and fundamental rights. This includes a focus on constitutional identity, constitutional review by the judiciary, church and state relations, the right to freedom of religion and the constitutional relationship between the EU and its Member States. Gerhard has published widely, including in journals such as the European Constitutional Law Review and the Oxford Journal of Law and Religion. In 2015 he held a Humboldt Foundation Fellowship for Experienced Researchers at the Chair of Professor Christian Calliess at the Free University of Berlin, researching various aspects of constitutional identity. He also won a VENI subsidy, funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) on the topic of constitutional review in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and South Africa, which resulted in his second doctorate in 2010 from Leiden University. Gerhard's first doctorate was awarded in 2005 from the University of Antwerp in Belgium on the limitation of rights under the ECHR and the South African Bill of Rights. He has spoken widely at universities and conferences, including events in the United Kingdom, Iceland and Poland. Gerhard's research has been cited in various academic works and by various judges, including Justice LeBel of the Supreme Court of Canada (Alberta v. Hutterian Brethren of Wilson Colony, 2009 SCC 37), Judge of Appeal Ponnan of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa (De Lange v. Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, [2014] ZASCA 151), Justice Shore of the Federal Court of Canada (Bennett v. Canada (Attorney General), 2011 FC 1310), Justice Jubran of the Supreme Court of Israel (sitting as the High Court of Justice in matter 7348/08 in 2009) and Justice Malan of the Johannesburg High Court (Taylor v. Kurtstag NO, [2004] 4 All SA 317 (W)). The Dutch cabinet also made use of Gerhard's research in drafting its response to the 2010 report by the State Commission on the Constitution.
Career
Gerhard van der Schyff is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Law, Jurisprudence and Legal History at Tilburg Law School. Gerhard holds or has held various editorships, at present he is an editor of the European Constitutional Law Review.
Teaching
Gerhard van der Schyff teaches on a wide number of topics in English and Dutch ranging from constitutional law to fundamental rights and legal systems. Gerhard teaches at LLB and LLM level and has supervised various LLM theses, as well as examined or co-supervised PhD dissertations.
Current courses
Click here for my courses.
External positions
Member of the board (Vlaams Mensenrechteninstituut)
1 Feb 2023 → …
Member of the editorial advisory board (NTKR: Tijdschrift voor recht en religie)
1 Sept 2010 → …
Editor (European Constitutional Law Review)
1 Sept 2009 → …
Keywords
- Comparative Law
- Constitutional Law
- South African Constitutional Law
- Fundamental Rights
- Rule Of Law
- Church State Relations
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 4 Quality Education
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SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
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SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Member states of the European Union, constitutions, and identity: A comparative perspective
van der Schyff, G., 2020, Constitutional identity in a Europe of multilevel constitutionalism. Calliess, C. & G. V. D. S. (eds.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 305-347 43 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific
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Animal welfare and the right to freedom of religion before the CJEU: The case of stunning and ritual slaughter
van der Schyff, G., Aug 2025, Freedom of religion, minority rights and the law: The status of Jewish and Muslim minorities in Europe and beyond. Gliszczyńska–Grabias, A. & Hacohen, A. (eds.). 1 ed. London: Routledge, p. 175-199 25 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific
Open AccessFile15 Downloads (Pure) -
Imagining constitutional review in the Netherlands: The European model or American model?
van der Schyff, G., 2025, Cyclisch constitutioneel recht: Essays ter gelegenheid van het emeritaat van prof.mr.drs. B.P. Vermeulen . Broeksteeg, H. & Zoontjens, P. (eds.). Deventer: Wolters Kluwer, p. 113-119 7 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific
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Interpreting the right to freedom of religion in the EU charter of fundamental rights: Outlining and analysing the function of the european convention on human rights according to art 52(3) CFR
van der Schyff, G., 2025, Comparative approaches to law and religion: Methods and epistemologies of comparative legal analysis. Barker, R., Baasch Andersen, C. & Rasmi Alumari, M. (eds.). New York: Routledge, p. 208-229 22 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific
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Introduction: Varieties of Constitutionalism
De Visser, M., de Poorter, J., Leijten, I., van der Schyff, G., Stremler, M. & Vonk, S., 2025, Varieties of Constitutionalism: European Yearbook of Constitutional Law 2024. De Visser, M., Leijten, I., de Poorter, J., van der Schyff, G., Stremler, M. & Vonk, S. (eds.). T.M.C. Asser Press | Springer, Vol. 6. p. 1-8Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific
Activities
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Constitutional Identity Seminar: Perspectives and Elements
Geuens, M. (Organiser) & van der Schyff, G. (Organiser)
29 Nov 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Organising a workshop, seminar, course etc. › Scientific
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Towards Urban Constitutionalism? Exploring Constitutional and Rule of Law Challenges in the Urban Age
Adams, M. (Organiser), Leenknegt, G.-J. (Organiser), De ruysscher, D. (Organiser), van der Schyff, G. (Organiser) & Groenleer, M. (Organiser)
25 Nov 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course etc. › Scientific
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Hague journal on the rule of law (Journal)
Adams, M. (Editor of special issue), De ruysscher, D. (Editor of special issue), Groenleer, M. (Editor of special issue), Leenknegt, G.-J. (Editor of special issue) & van der Schyff, G. (Editor of special issue)
Mar 2022 → Jun 2023Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial activity › Scientific
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Constitutional identity in a Europe of multilevel constitutionalism
van der Schyff, G. (Speaker)
23 Feb 2021Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk › Scientific
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Het recht op godsdienstvrijheid in Zuid-Afrika in perspectief
van der Schyff, G. (Speaker)
8 May 2008Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation › Scientific
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Constitutional Identity Debates in the Netherlands and the European Union
van der Schyff, G. (Principal Investigator)
1/10/23 → 1/10/29
Project: Research project
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Methoden van rechtspraak
van Dijck, G. (Researcher), Adams, M. (Researcher), Overbeeke, A. J. (Researcher), van der Schyff, G. (Researcher), Tanghe, F. E. M. (Researcher), Bomhoff, J. A. (Researcher) & Huls, N. (Researcher)
1/06/07 → …
Project: Research project
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Global Law & Governance
Adams, M. (Researcher), Arnoldussen, T. (Researcher), Augenstein, D. (Researcher), Bastmeijer, K. (Researcher), Bijlmakers, S. (Researcher), Boot, E. (Researcher), Bot, M. (Researcher), De ruysscher, D. (Researcher), Fleurke, F. (Researcher), Goodwin, M. (Researcher), Goossens, J. (Researcher), Groenleer, M. (Researcher), Grover, L. (Researcher), Hendriks, F. (Researcher), Jägers, N. (Researcher), Karsten, N. (Researcher), Leenknegt, G.-J. (Researcher), Lesaffer, R. (Researcher), Lindahl, H. (Researcher), Maleki, A. (Researcher), Paiement, P. (Researcher), Partiti, E. (Researcher), Rajkovic, N. (Researcher), Raucea, C. (Researcher), Rombouts, B. (Researcher), Somsen, H. (Researcher), Trouwborst, A. (Researcher), Tzankova, I. (Researcher), Verschuuren, J. (Researcher), Wilthagen, T. (Researcher), Wolf, E. (Researcher), Wolswinkel, J. (Researcher), Zouridis, S. (Researcher), van Hulst, M. (Principal Investigator), van Waas, L. (Researcher), van der Schyff, G. (Researcher), Hirsch Ballin, E. (Researcher), Meuwese, A. (Researcher), Van Hulle, I. (Researcher), Stapper, M. (Researcher), Clements, R. (Researcher), Kari, V. (Researcher), Sipiorski, E. (Researcher), Mooij, A. (Researcher), den Hollander, M. (Researcher), Oosterom-Staples, H. (Researcher), van Bockel, B. (Researcher), Cavalcanti, M. (Researcher), Delgado, L. (Researcher), Geuens, M. (Researcher), Koenraad, R. (Researcher), Leach, M. (Researcher), Leijten, I. (Researcher), Leloup, M. (Researcher), Lukkari, H. (Researcher), Muslu, Z. (Researcher), Palombo, D. (Researcher), Bazzan, G. (Researcher), Frins, R. (Researcher), Gkliati, M. (Researcher), Kempeneer, S. (Researcher), Ranchordás, S. (Researcher), Timmermans, N. (Researcher), Huisman, P. (Researcher), Kaufmann, R. (Researcher), van Ostaaijen, J. (Researcher) & in 't Veld, M. (Researcher)
1/01/19 → 31/12/23
Project: Research project