Paris-Saclay elects new president after months-long crisis

The former provisional administrator of Paris-Saclay University, Camille Galap, has been elected the institution’s president, ending a four-month struggle to appoint a successor to the outgoing president, Estelle Iacona.

Professor Galap, a biologist with an extensive leadership background in French higher education, was elected by Paris-Saclay’s governing board after two rounds of voting. He defeated two other candidates, the professors Yves Bernard and Souhil Megherbi, after Professor Iacona withdrew her bid for a second term last month.

“Université Paris-Saclay is at a pivotal moment in its history, with critical work to come in the short and medium terms,” Professor Galap said in a speech to the university’s governing board. Setting out an action plan for his four-year presidential term, he said: “Accomplishing this programme will require a considerable amount of investment and motivation on my behalf, and in particular, will call on my ability to rally and unite all of the university’s stakeholders.”

Officially created in 2020 as an “experimental public establishment”, Paris-Saclay currently brings together 15 institutions and faculties, among them four grandes écoles. The current crisis at the institution began in February, when the university struggled to agree on a new governing board, delaying the election of a new president. Insiders consider the crisis a reflection of underlying tensions regarding the governance of the experimental institution, with Le Monde describing Paris-Saclay in March as a university in search of a “soul”.

Appointed provisional administrator in March after the end of Professor Iacona’s leadership mandate, Professor Galap resigned from the position last month to run for the presidency. Previously, he held similar roles at Jean Monnet University and École Normale Supérieure, while he also served as an adviser to the Ministry for Higher Education and Research. Other past positions include chief education officer of Guadeloupe’s regional academic authority and president of the University of Le Havre.

Speaking after his election, Professor Galap said his key goals included the institution’s successful transition from experimental public establishment to grand établissement status, the dedication of resources to ensure the university’s academic success, an attractive course offering for full-time and continuing education students, strong local and international ties and a commitment to equality and diversity.

“What motivates the implementation of this action plan is knowing that it contributes to student success, it gives research greater visibility, and it promotes this great university in rapidly changing local, national and international environments,” Professor Galap said.

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com