Dr Kathrin Maria Scherr, LL.M.

Since 04/2022 Member of the Academic Advisory Board of the Journal of Constitutional Law in the Middle East and North Africa (JCL- MENA)

Since 07/2020 Editor-in-Chief (with Prof. Erika De Wet) of the Max Planck Yearbook of United Nations Law (UNYB) 

Since 10/2018 Managing Director, Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law

Since 1/2013 Head of Sub-Saharan Africa Operations, Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law

1/2012–2/2012 United Nations Joint Constitution Unit for Somalia, UNDP Somalia/UNPOS, Nairobi (Kenya): Seconded Legal Expert

2/2010–12/2012 Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, Global Knowledge Transfer Projects, Heidelberg (Germany): Senior Research Fellow & Deputy Head of Africa Projects

3/2009–6/2009 Council of Europe, Parliamentary Assembly, Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Strasbourg (France): Legal Expert

5/2008–1/2009 Court of Justice of the European Union/Civil Service Tribunal of the European Union, Cabinet of Judge Koen Lenaerts & Judge Horstpeter Kreppel, Luxembourg (Luxembourg): Apprentice Lawyer

9/2005–4/2007 European University Institute (EUI), Florence (Italy): Teaching and Research Assistant

5/2003–8/2004 The World Bank, Washington DC (USA): Consultant

– Legal Vice-Presidency Unit, Europe and Central Asia (ECA)
– Financial and Private Sector Development Unit: Eastern Europe and Central Asia
– Policy Review and Dissemination Unit (OPCPD) & Operations Policy and Country Services (OPCS)

10/2004–8/2008 Doctor of Laws (PhD), European University Institute (EUI), Florence (Italy): Thesis on “The Principle of State Liability for Judicial Breaches under EC Law and from a Comparative National Law Perspective” (awarded Mauro Cappelletti Prize 2009)

10/2004–7/2005 Master of Research (MRes) in European, Comparative and International Law, European University Institute (EUI), Florence (Italy)

9/2001–5/2003 Master of Arts (MA) in International Relations and International Economics (awarded with distinction); Johns Hopkins University – School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Bologna (Italy) & Washington DC (USA)

9/1997–6/2001 Advanced diploma in EU Law and French, Karl-Franzens-University, Faculty of Law & Faculty of Arts and Humanities / Department of Romance Studies, Graz (Austria)

9/1999–8/2000 Licence en Droit, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Faculty of Law, Brest (France)

9/1996–8/2001 University Degree in Law (Mag. iur.), Karl-Franzens-University; Faculty of Law, Graz (Austria)

• Assessing Progress in the Implementation of Zimbabwe’s New Constitution. National, Regional and Global Perspectives, Law and Constitution in Africa, Vol. 32, Nomos, Baden-Baden 2017 (edited together with Oliver C. Ruppel, Alexander D. Berndt)
• Of Justice, Accountability, and Reconciliation: Preliminary Stocktaking on Transitional Justice Efforts in South Sudan. In: Cante, F. & Quehl, H. (eds), Handbook of Research on Transitional Justice and Peace Building in Turbulent Regions. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2016, pp. 158-180. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-9675-4. Link
• Challenges Regarding Capacity Building to Promote and Protect Human Rights in South Sudan. In: Publications of the EU Parliament, Directorate General for External Policies, Policy Department, Workshop on Human Rights Capacity Building in South Sudan, (EXPO/B/DROI/2013/08+09), March 2013, pp. 12-17. Document
• Legal Implications of Sudan’s Separation. The Question of Citizenship. In: Heinrich Böll Foundation, Publication Series Democracy, Volume 28, 2012, pp. 100-103. Link
• Comparative Aspects of the Application of the Principle of State Liability for Judicial Breaches. In: ERA Forum, Springer, Band 12, Nr. 4, 2012, pp. 565-588. Further Information
• The Principle of State Liability for Judicial Breaches: The Case Gerhard Köbler v. Austria under European Community Law and from a Comparative National Law Perspective; Florence, European University Institute, 2008, EUI PhD theses; Department of Law URI: Link; DOI: 10.2870/22523
• Public Liability for Administrative Acts under French Law. In: European Public Law, Band 14, Nr. 2, 2008, pp. 213-236.
• The Rule of Prior Exhaustion of Local Remedies in the Context of Human Rights Protection, (co-authored with Silvia D’Ascoli). In: The Italian Yearbook of International Law, Band 16, 2006, Further Information
• The Concept of Administrative Self-Remedy under EC Law. Case Law and Related Questions. In: Ziller, Jacques (Hrsg.): What’s New in European Administrative Law? EUI Working Paper Law, Nr. 10, 2005, pp. 51-56. Link

• Lecturer at the Academy of Constitutional Law at the Arab Association of Constitutional Law on “The nexus of peace processes and constitution-making in the MENA region”, 26 July- 12 August 2021
• Lecturer at Symposium on Transitional Justice in South Sudan, organized by the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 15-17 February 2017, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
• Antonio Cassese Summer School on Transitional Justice, Conflict and Human Rights, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, 6–10 July 2015, Geneva (Switzerland)
• Symposium on Demilitarization, Demobilisation and Integration, Hamburg Institute for Social Research, 27–29 Apr. 2015, Hamburg (Germany)
• Lecturer at “United Nations Peacekeeping Operations” (LGAN) Training, German Armed Forces Command and Staff College (FüAkBw), 13–31 Oct. 2014, Hamburg (Germany)
• “Constitution-building in Africa”, CEU Summer Course organized in cooperation with International IDEA & Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Central European University, 30 June–11 July 2014, Budapest (Hungary)
• “Conference on Realistic Peace and Turbulent Transitions”, Universidad del Rosario, 27–31 May 2014, Bogotá (Colombia)
• “Iraq: Ten Years On – Stocktaking and Perspectives”, Salahaddin University, 9–12 Dec. 2013, Erbil (Iraq)
• Training for International Electoral Observers (STOs/LTOs) at European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (EIUC), 28 Nov.–4 Dec. 2013, Venice (Italy)
• “South Sudan: Enhancing Capacities for Human Rights”, European Parliament, Subcommittee on Human Rights, DG EXPO, 19 Mar. 2013, Brussels (Belgium)
• Conference on “Transitional Justice”, Hamburg Institute for Social Research, 13–14 Mar. 2013, Hamburg (Germany)
• Civil Society Conference on the Somali Roadmap for Transition, 23–26 Mar. 2012, Entebbe (Uganda)
• “Constitutional Expert Forum” on Options for a New Constitution for Somalia, Conference organized by the UNDP Somalia/UNPOS Joint Constitution Unit, 7–11 Jan. 2012 (Djibouti)
• Judicial Reform Conference, organized by the Ministry of Justice of Somaliland in collaboration with UNDP, 14–16 June 2011, Hargeisa (Somaliland)
• High-level Workshop on Constitutional Perspectives for South Sudan, Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, 8–11 Mar. 2011, Heidelberg (Germany)
• “Continuities, Dislocations and Transformations: Reflections on 50 Years of African Independence”, Biennial Conference of the African Studies Association in Germany (VAD) at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 7–10 Apr. 2010, Mainz (Germany)

• Winner of the Mauro Cappelletti Prize 2009 for the best doctoral thesis in the field of comparative law, European University Institute, Florence, Italy (2009)
• Fully funded PhD Award, European University Institute, Florence, Italy (2004–2008)
• Financial Scholarship for Academic Achievement from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC (2002)
• Academic Award as one of the “Top 20 Law Graduates in 2001”, Karl-Franzens-University, Faculty of Law, Graz, Austria (2001)

• African Law Association