was born on 8 January 1953 in Waregem, a small town in the West of Flanders.

After a classic Latin-Greek education in highschool, he studied law at the University of Ghent where he graduated in 1975.

Under the guidance of professor Lenaerts (former attorney general at the Belgian Court de Cassation), at that time assistant Willy van Eeckhoutte was introduced into the complex but exciting world of social law. This resulted into a doctor's degree in law with a doctorate in social security law (in interaction with family law). In 1986 he became a full professor in labour law and social security law at the Law Faculty of the University of Ghent. Up till now he still combines these two branches of social law. Besides his successful academic career, Willy van Eeckhoutte never gave up practising law. He has been a member of the Bar of Ghent since 1975 and is leading a lawyers practice in Ghent. At the moment he is Director of the department of social law. He is editor of several social law journals and compilations, member of the board of scientific associations and societies and author of a large number of articles and books on social law. He has been called upon many times by ministers to give scientific advice concerning specific issues of social law.

He is loved by his students for his unique and humorous way of teaching (but feared for his difficult examination questions) and admired by his colleagues for his detailed theoretical and practical knowledge of social law.