Prof. em. Nico Schrijver is emeritus Professor of Public International Law at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, Leiden University. During 2005-2017 he was the Academic Director of the Grotius Centre and Head of the Department. Since 1 September 2017 he also serves as State Councillor, Division of Legislation, in the Council of State of the Netherlands. From June 2011 till September 2017 he was a member of the Senate of the Dutch house of parliament. In the Senate he served as the chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Developent Co-operation, the vice-chair of the Senate Committee on European Affairs and leader of the Dutch delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europa.

Schrijver is a member of the Institut de Droit International since 2007 and its president during 2017-2019, and member of the Curatorium of The Hague Academy of International Law (since 2016). During 2010-2012 he served as the president of the worldwide International Law Association and during 2008-2016 he was a member and vice-chair of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.