The European University Institute in Florence has appointed Joseph Weiler, a South-Africa born Israeli who teaches at New York University, as its new president. Weiler's appointment follows the forced resignation over alleged conflicts of interest of Josep Borrell, a former president of the European Parliament and an ex-minister in Spanish socialist governments, last April.
Weiler will take up his position on 1 September 2013, replacing acting president Marise Cremona.
He was appointed by the Institute's high council, which is made of representatives of EU member states, on 7 December.
The Institute is a postgraduate research institute set up by the EU's member states.
Weiler is Joseph Straus Professor of Law and European Union Jean Monnet Chair at NYU law school. Born in South Africa, he went to high school in Jerusalem and studied at Sussex and Cambridge universities in the UK. He completed his PhD in European law at EUI in 1982. He was previously professor at the University of Michigan and at Harvard.
