Marc Cogen

Marc Cogen (born 1955) is a Belgian jurist and former professor at Ghent University.

Career
Cogen began his career as a lawyer at the Antwerp bar in 1978, and started his academic career at Ghent University in 1982. He also taught at the University of Amsterdam and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel for periods, and advised in the financial world and in politics. From 2004 to 2007 he was an advisor to Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel De Gucht. He ran for rector elections in 2009, which he lost.

He is a co-founder and member of the board of directors of the European Friends of Israel, and sits on the board of directors of the Jewish nature movement "Keren Kayemeth Le Israel", which organises tree planting campaigns in Israel. In 2007, he participated in the international counter-jihad conference in Brussels.

Suspension
In 2010, he was preventively suspended from his position as Professor of Public International Law after repeated reports of "transgressive behaviour". Among other things he had "controversial" positions on Israel, the United States and the Iraq War, and had previously accused the university and a number of colleagues of antisemitism. Despite negative evaluations from some students, he also had supporters, including a supportive Facebook group. In 2011, he was seconded to the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.