Dr Lutz Krebs (L.F.)

I am a senior lecturer at Maastricht University's School of Business & Economics and United Nations University's MERIT institute at Maastricht. I have a background in international relations and conflict research.

Between 2025 and 2026, I have served as a member of the Human Rights Advisory Council at Maastricht University during its pilot phase.

In 2017, I joined the development team for Maastricht University's innovative and interdisciplinary BSc Global Studies. Working with a team of scholars from over 20 disciplines, I have shepherded Global Studies through the macro-efficiency test and initial accreditation. Between 2019 and 2023, I served as the founding program director, leading the program through its launch in 2020 to first graduation in 2023. I was principally responsible for recruitment, staffing, content, quality control and budget.

Between 2010 and 2018, I have served as academic programme director for M.Sc. Public Policy and Human Development offered jointly by Maastricht University and United Nations University. I have taken a leading role in converting this program into one of the first master degrees offered by the United Nations University, contributed to the launch of several specialization tracks and led the effort for re-accreditation as a joint degree with Maastricht University.

Having completed graduate degrees in economics, political science and humanitarian assistance, my studies focus on the impact of democratization processes on the likelihood of civil-war onset in ethnically heterogeneous countries as part of the Swiss National Center of Competence in Research "Challenges to Democracy in the 21st Century". I have collaborated in the development of a new coding method for democratization periods and contributed to the launch of the peer-reviewed journal Living Reviews in Democracy. For my dissertation at ETH Zurich, I have investigated the influence of political leaders on the likelihood of civil-war onset during democratization phases, challenging the theory of "elite manipulation" on the grounds that the theorized extensive influence of political leaders is unrealistic. As part of my second research focus, I have published an edited volume of student studies on the functioning of actors in the global civil society.

I continue to teach, supervise and guest in a variety of programs across Maastricht University, including Public Policy & Human Development, Global Studies and University College Maastricht.