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EACEA National Policies Platform:Eurydice
Management staff for higher education

Luxembourg

10.Management and other education staff

10.5Management staff for higher education

Last update: 17 June 2022

Short-cycle programmes leading to an Advanced technician's diploma (BTS; brevet de technicien supérieur) are organised under the responsibility of the principal of the secondary school concerned. Since information on the management of secondary schools is provided in article 10.1, this chapter exclusively focuses on the management of the University of Luxembourg. The University of Luxembourg is governed by the following bodies, which are defined by article 10 of its founding law:

  • The board of governors(conseil de gouvernance) controls the University’s activities and determines its general policy and strategic development
  • The rectorate(rectorat) is the University’s executive body. It is composed of a rector (recteur), a head of administration (directeur administratif), a scientific consultancy commission (commission consultative scientifique) and a gender representative (délégué à l'égalité). The rectorate is competent for daily management issues, strategic decisions, the establishment’s policy development, budgetary issues, annual reports, management of sub-structures and orientations of research (axes de recherche)
  • The university council(conseil universitaire) assists the rectorate with the drafting of a multi-annual development plan and considers educational and scientific matters
  • The deanship(décanat): each of the University’s three faculties is led by a dean, who is assisted by a faculty board (conseil facultaire), which is particularly involved in matters of education programmes, research programmes and faculty development.

Public higher education institutions operate under the authority of the ministry of Higher Education and Research(MESR; ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche). The Minister’s approval is required for certain decisions taken by the board of governors, such as the appointment of heads, internal rules, the salary scale or the development of study programmes.

Requirements for appointment

The board of governors(conseil de gouvernance)

The board of governors is composed of seven members, of whom at least four hold responsibilities at foreign universities. Members must not hold any other post at the University of Luxembourg. They are selected on the basis of their competences in relevant areas of research and are appointed by the Grand Duke (Grand-Duc).

The rectorate(rectorat)

The members of the rectorate (rector, vice-rectors and head of administration) are appointed and revoked by the Grand Duke on a proposal of the board of governors and after consultation of the university council. The rector must have been a university professor before.

The scientific consultancy commission (commission consultative scientifique)

This commission is equally composed of professors from the different faculties and of competent personalities from Luxembourg and abroad. Members are appointed by the Rector.

The university council(conseil universitaire)

The university council is composed of:

  • Two representatives of academic staff per faculty (elected by academic staff)
  • Two student representatives per faculty (elected by students)
  • One representative of administrative and technical staff (elected by administrative and technical staff)
  • One representative of assistants and research assistants (elected by assistants and research assistants)
  • One representative of scientific library staff (elected by scientific library staff)
  • Two directors of interdisciplinary centres
  • One gender representative.

The rector, the vice-rector and the deans are automatically members of the university council, whereas the head ofadministration takes part in an advisory capacity.

The deanship (décanat)

The deans are professors at the University of Luxembourg. They are appointed by the rectorate on proposal of the academic staff of the faculty concerned.

All these bodies' members are elected or appointed for renewable five-year terms, except for mandates held by students, which expire at the end of their enrolment at the university.

Conditions of service

The rector and the deans hold private working contracts concluded for a term of five years, after which they may be renewed. At the end of their mandate, they may either return to their previous assignment or obtain a contract with another university. They may also take a scientific leave within the following two years. Rectors and deans receive supplementary pensions.