Two UCalgary Law professors appointed to prestigious research centre

Dr. Elizabeth Steyn and Dr. Rüdiger Tscherning have been appointed Senior Research Associates with the Research Centre for Private International Law in Emerging Countries at the University of Johannesburg. Their three-year appointments began on August 1, 2025.

The Centre is internationally recognized for its scholarship in private international law, with a focus on the unique challenges facing emerging economies. Its flagship project, the African Principles of Commercial Private International Law, is aimed at developing model laws and legislative frameworks to support national governments and regional institutions such as the African Union. The project seeks to strengthen legal certainty, foster investor confidence, and advance inclusive economic growth across the continent.

Dr. Tscherning said he is eager to contribute his expertise in private international law to the Centre’s research. “Together with my colleagues Dr. Steyn and Dr. Jan Neels, we will explore the role of harmonised commercial contracts to de-risked natural resources projects that are critical to Africa’s just energy transition,” he explained. “As part of our research collaboration, we will also make recommendations aimed at improving the governance of Canadian mining companies in the host state and the developing role of the home state in addressing shortcomings in environmental and social standards both through judicial and corporate governance redress.”

He noted that the partnership will also create valuable learning opportunities for UCalgary Law students. “Our timely project will offer our students the opportunity to explore new perspectives such as in my Conflict of Laws and Alternative Energy Law courses, and Dr. Steyn’s Critical Minerals, Regulatory Frameworks, and Geopolitics, and Business Associations courses.”

Looking ahead, Dr. Tscherning highlighted the potential for deeper ties between the two institutions. “This new collaboration is also aimed at exploring how Calgary’s recognised LLM in Natural Resources and Energy Law could join up with the University of Johannesburg’s LLM in Commercial Law to offer opportunities for the truly global study of energy and commercial law between our institutions,” he said.