Laurent Boetsch is Professor Emeritus of Romance Languages at Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA and a co-founder of ECOLAS. In addition to teaching Spanish language, literature and culture and Italian language, he served in several administrative roles including Vice President of Academic Affairs and Interim President. From 2003-2008 he led ECLA, the European College of Liberal Arts, Berlin (now Bard/Berlin). He was vice-chair of the NVAO accrediting committee for University Colleges in the Netherlands and has participated in evaluations of LAS programmes at University College, Freiburg, and the Studium Individuale at Leuphana University.