Recently, the board of directors at Paris-Saclay University, the largest research university in Europe, failed to elect a new president after three rounds of voting. Paris-Saclay University was formed in 2020 through the merger of over a dozen institutions.
The two candidates had differing views on how best to address issues regarding the working conditions of university staff. In the vote on April 30th, neither candidate garnered enough support to be appointed as president. Electrical engineer and former dean of the Paris-Saclay University's School of Engineering, Yves Bernard, received more votes than former president Estelle Iacona in all three rounds of voting but fell short of the required 19 out of 38 votes for a clear victory.
Paris-Saclay University boasts 220 laboratories, nearly 50,000 students, 8,100 researchers and academic staff, and 8,500 technical and administrative staff. It has already achieved its goal of shining on the world stage, being the first French university to break into the top 20 of the 2020 World University Rankings, ranking 15th in 2023.
However, the complex structure of Paris-Saclay University has posed many challenges for researchers. The university absorbed 10 colleges and research institutes from the University of Paris XI, as well as four higher education institutions and two affiliated universities in France.
The current deadlock means the recruitment process must start anew. Since Iacona's term ended in March, Camille Galap has been serving as the interim manager of Paris-Saclay University. He stated that a new list of candidates will be announced soon.
"Clearly, the recruitment process will take quite a long time, which is not good news for the university," said pharmacologist Patrick Couvreur of Paris-Saclay University. He supports Iacona continuing as president.
Couvreur noted that the university's leadership has become increasingly hierarchical, leading to a rise in the number of managers and administrative burdens on all levels of staff, dampening the enthusiasm of young scientists.
In 2021, a study by the Paris-based human resources consulting firm Degest concluded that working conditions for employees had deteriorated since the university's merger. The study found that despite extensive promotional activities, staff had only a vague idea of what Paris-Saclay University stood for. Without a voice, they lacked motivation and questioned the purposes of certain initiatives, such as establishing connections between various components of the institution, creating new graduate schools, and bachelor's degree programs. Some researchers also expressed concerns about the lack of research resources, spending excessive time coordinating operations and fundraising bids, teams competing for available funds, and increased administrative workload.
Bernard called for a comprehensive rather than centralized structure to allow different institutions to work side by side.
After taking over the presidency from French Minister of Higher Education and Research Sylvie Retailleau, Iacona's term has ended. Retailleau will lead Paris-Saclay University until 2022. "I am in favor of establishing an integrated, rather than centralized, structure where we collectively decide on policies," Retailleau said.
So far, there are no indications as to which candidate the board of directors of Paris-Saclay University will support. There may be new contenders in the future. Iacona has not decided whether to run for re-election, but Bernard intends to run again.
Paris-Saclay University was formed by the merger of several institutions. Image source: Alain Jocard/AFP via Getty
