A Coruña, September 1, 2025.- The Faculty of Law of the University of Coruña is about to incorporate the renowned Swedish professor Ulf Linderfalk, one of the most prominent figures worldwide in the field of
International Law, with the objective of developing his research project over the next four years.
Linderfalk was one of two 31 researchers selected in the ATRAE 2024 call by the State Research Agency, which seeks to attract international talent of excellence to higher education and research institutions in Spain.
In this edition, in which 148 applications were submitted, the professor was the only winner on the Law panel, obtaining a subsidy of 1 million euros for the development of his work at UDC.
A world reference in International Law
Professor of International Law at the University of Lund (Sweden), Linderfalk joined this institution in 2001, after defending his research on the interpretation of international treaties. His research addresses
structural and philosophical issues of the international legal system, such as normative conflicts, legal hierarchy, legal interpretation, good faith, or abuse of rights, proportionality or discretion, integrating
perspectives from the Philosophy of Law, the Theories of Language and Epistemology.
He is the author of four monographs, including On the Interpretation of Treaties (Springer, 2007) and Understanding Jus Cogens in International Law and International Legal Discourse (Edward Elgar, 2020), as
well as more than 35 articles in prestigious journals such as European Journal of International Law or Leiden Journal of International Law. His work was widely cited and directly influenced the UN International
Law Commission's reports on jus cogens norms and the fragmentation of international law.
Long after his career, he obtained financing worth a total of 2 million euros from entities such as the Swedish Research Council and the Ragnar Söderberg Foundation, leading collaboration projects with leading
universities. In addition, he directed seven doctoral theses and supervised three postdoctoral researchers, contributing to the training of new generations of experts in International Law.
His incorporation into the University of Coruña represents an important boost for the research capacity and international projection of the institution, reinforcing the role of the UDC as a center of excellence in the
legal field.
Support for talent and excellence
The incorporation of excellent research personnel is part of the Strategic Plan of the University of Coruña, although there is a clear commitment to promoting quality research. An objective for which various lines of
attraction and retention of talent have been established. Initiatives that are essentially channeled through the Research Personnel Recruitment Office (OCPI)
