Letschert served as president of YUFE (Young Universities for the Future of Europe) until 2024. YUFE is a university alliance comprising ten European institutions, including the University of Bremen. Their shared goal is to establish an open and inclusive European university. This network offers students and university staff Europe-wide opportunities for further development in education, research, and their professional careers. Professor Jutta Günther, President of the University of Bremen, has been Vice President of YUFE since 2024. 

“I extend my warmest congratulations to Rianne Letschert on her new position as minister,” says Jutta Günther. “As president of YUFE, she has shaped our European university alliance with remarkable dedication. We are delighted that she will continue her journey as minister.”

Professor Letschert studied international law at the universities of Tilburg, Amsterdam, and Montpellier. Between 2012 and 2016, she was a professor of International Law and Victimology at Tilburg University. She then served as Rector of Maastricht University from 2016 to 2022, assuming the role of President in 2021.