Casper de Jonge appointed as new Vice-Dean
Professor of Greek Language and Literature, Prof. Dr C.C. (Casper) de Jonge, will take up the post of Vice-Dean for Education at the Faculty of Humanities from 1 January 2027. He has been appointed for a four-year term and succeeds Jeroen Touwen, whose term of office expires on that date.
Casper de Jonge is currently a professor at LUCAS (Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society). He studied Greek and Latin Language and Culture in Leiden and was awarded his PhD cum laude in 2006. In the same year, he continued his career here as a lecturer in Greek Language and Literature. In 2010, he received the KNAW Teaching Award.
As a visiting researcher, he was affiliated with the Centre for Hellenic Studies in Washington DC in 2008 and with the Seeger Centre for Hellenic Studies at Princeton University in 2012. In 2020, he was a visiting professor at the ENS Paris, and in 2023–2024 at LMU Munich. For his research, he has received, amongst other things, a Veni and a Vidi grant from NWO. As a researcher, De Jonge focuses on Greek literature in the Roman world, ancient migrant literature, ancient literary theory, classical rhetoric, the sublime, and the reception of antiquity in classical music.
De Jonge has held various administrative and academic posts, including programme director for Greek and Latin Language and Culture (BA) and Classics and Ancient Civilisations (MA and ResMA), coordinator of the Rhetoric minor, chair of the LUCAS Advisory Board, general board member of the LUCAS Management Team, editor-in-chief of the journal Lampas and a board member of the International Society for the History of Rhetoric. He was co-founder and co-chair of the core group of programme chairs (2024–2025) and a member of the Task Force on Educational Management and Organisation (2025–2026).
Casper de Jonge is looking forward to his new role with enthusiasm: “The teaching at Leiden University’s Faculty of Humanities is held in very high regard worldwide. However, we do face a number of major challenges. I consider it a great honour and a special responsibility to be able to contribute, together with the entire faculty community, to innovative teaching, harmonious collaboration between degree programmes and institutes, and a healthy future for our unique degree programmes in the fields of regions, languages and cultures. In doing so, the well-being, development and engagement of students and colleagues are central to my approach.”
Rector Magnificus Sarah de Rijcke has expressed her confidence in De Jonge’s appointment: “Casper has strong, well-founded ideas about the development of education in the Humanities and actively seeks collaboration both within and outside the faculty. With his broad perspective, administrative insight and powers of persuasion, he possesses the qualities needed to make a valuable contribution on the Faculty Board towards strengthening the faculty for the future.”
Dean Henk te Velde is also looking forward to a fruitful collaboration within the Faculty Board: “As chair of the core group of programme directors, Casper played a crucial role at a critical moment. We are convinced that, with his experience and deep commitment to our education, he will further strengthen the Faculty Board in tackling the challenges of the coming years. We wish Casper every success in his new role.”
A celebratory meeting will be organised at a later date to thank Jeroen Touwen, the outgoing vice-dean, for his dedication over the past eight years.