Prof. Dr. habil. Gregor van der Beek

Gregor van der Beek is a professor of economics, especially Public Finance, at the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. His subject is thus that part of the economy which is the responsibility of, and runs through, the treasuries of the public sector, such as federal, state and local governments or the European Union, but also through the so-called parafiscal institutions, such as unemployment, health and pension insurance. Even in free-market capitalist systems, this area accounts for between 30 and 50% of economic activity. That is why his field is of particular importance. His research and teaching interests include health economics, public finances of developing and emerging countries, the economic evaluation of public revenues and expenditure programs, and the finances of the EU.

Born in the southern Lower Rhine region of Germany as the fourth child of a Dutch-German couple, his studies of history, philosophy, politics, sociology and economics initially took him to the universities of Cologne and Florence. After receiving his degree in economics from the University of Cologne, he completed his doctorate and habilitation - both in economics - at the University of Duisburg-Essen.

After his assistantship with Prof. Dr. Klaus Tiepelmann, he spent several years as a visiting professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, then at the University of Koblenz, and in Austria at the University of Applied Sciences Carinthia. In addition, he held a variety of teaching positions, including in the Netherlands, Austria, and Germany. Research, teaching and workshop stays led him e.g. to Serbia - this on behalf of the EU, China, Rwanda, South Africa, Italy, Iran and again and again to the USA. In addition to various books, Gregor van der Beek is the author of numerous articles in national and international scientific journals. With his wife, Dr. Kornelia van der Beek, the head of the Entrepreneurial Office Koblenz, he pursues various scientific interests and projects in health economics and economic evaluation. For example, they have jointly authored a standard textbook on health economics.

Gregor and Kornelia van der Beek have three children, Nathanael (age 27), Theodora (age 21) and Seraphina (age 17). Gregor finds making music, motorcycle tours, cooking and good food as personal enrichment.