Jean Paul van Marissing Named Rector of Webster University Georgia
June 13, 2024
Webster University Director General for Global Campuses Ryan Guffey is pleased to announce that Jean Paul van Marissing has been named rector for Webster University Georgia effective August 1, 2024.
Established in 2022 in the capital city of Tbilisi, Webster University Georgia is accredited in the U.S. and in the Republic of Georgia. The campus offers undergraduate degrees in business administration and international relations and will add computer science in the coming academic year. At the graduate level, the MBA and MA in International Relations are offered.
“Dr. van Marissing is our longest-serving international campus director, with 15 years leading Webster Leiden,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs Nancy Hellerud. “He has the experience and know-how to usher in the next phase of Webster Georgia.”
Hellerud served as the founding rector with Emin Hajiyev overseeing campus operations in Tbilisi as vice rector.
“Dr. Hajiyev’s expertise in establishing new international locations serves Webster well,” she said. “Since 2022, we’ve achieved Georgian accreditation, welcomed Georgian and international students, and launched four programs, with more to come.”
“Webster University in Georgia is in a tremendous position to leverage its geography, rich history, and highly skilled regional talent,” said Guffey. “We are confident Jean Paul will provide the academic and administrative leadership to continue the campus’ progress.”
Van Marissing will continue as director of Webster Leiden and divide his time between the Netherlands and Georgia.
“Webster provides great growth opportunities for doing new things and taking on new challenges and responsibilities,” said van Marissing. “I am excited to continue to contribute to that collective mission and to see students grow and thrive in our global educational network.”
Prior to Webster, van Marissing was a competition lawyer for 15 years for Baker McKenzie, a global law firm. He also worked in Brussels, representing the Dutch government at the European Union. He completed his PhD studies in European law at Leiden University and a master’s degree in international law at the University of Tilburg and has held a professorship at Nyenrode Business Universiteit since 2005.