Prof. Dr. Rona Serozan
About the Foundation
Foundation Activities
Publications
Prof. Dr. Rona Serozan, founder of the Rona Serozan Foundation for Comparative Legal Research, was born in Istanbul on June 15, 1942.
He completed his secondary and high school education at Nişantaşı English High School for boys. In November 1960, he passed the entrance exam for from Istanbul University Faculty of Law and graduated from it in June 1964 with distinction. In November of the same year, he began his doctoral under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ludwig Raiser in Tübingen, Germany and completed his thesis it in a very short period of time, at the beginning of 1967. He was granted magna cum laude (high honor) degree for his doctoral thesis entitled “Die Überwindung der Rechtsfolgendes Formmangels im Rechtsgeschäft nach deutschem, schweizerischem undtürkischem Recht”, which was published by Mohr Siebeck Verlag in 1968.
Prof. Dr. Serozan started his academic career in 1967 as a research assistant at Istanbul University Faculty of Law, in the department of civil law and as a member of Professor Selahattin Sulhi Tekinay’s Chair. In April 1974, he was awarded the title of associate professor for his habilitation thesis titled “Revocation of Contract”, which has triggered numerous theoretical discussions until today. After six years working as an associate professor, he published his professorship thesis titled “Acquisition upon Death through Inter Vivos Transactions” in 1980.
Although his appointment to the professorship was deemed appropriate by the Commission and the report prepared by the Commission was later approved by the Faculty Board and the Senate of the University, he could not been officially promoted to professorship as the signature of the Head of State was missing. In 1982, he was suspended from his position as a university faculty member in accordance with Law No. 1402, never to be employed in public service again.
Between 1982 and 1988, Prof. Serozan worked as a lawyer in Istanbul. During this time, he also spent a few years at the University of Tübingen, a place he never severed ties with until his death.
He returned to his position at Istanbul University Faculty of Law, as a professor, in 1988 following the decision of the Council of State. From that date until his retirement in 2009, he continued to work as full-time faculty in the department of Civil Law. From 2009 until his death, he worked as full-time faculty at Istanbul Bilgi University Faculty of Law in the same department.