Stefan Oeter is a full Professor for German and Comparative Public Law and Public International Law, Managing Director of the Institute of International Affairs, University of Hamburg Law School (since 1999); studied law at the universities of Heidelberg and Montpellier; 1987-1997 research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public and Public International Law, Heidelberg; 1990 Dr. iur. utr. (Heidelberg); Chairman (since 2006) of the Independent Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (Council of Europe); Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Federal Ministry of Transport; President of the Historical Commission, International Society for Military Law and the Laws of War; Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration; research mainly in comparative federalism, minority protection and human rights law, humanitarian law, European and international economic law, theory of international law and international relations.