Dean Lewis: President of the University of Bordeaux

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Professor of electronics, Dean Lewis was re elected President of the University of Bordeaux on Thursday 22th January 2026 for a second term.

Photo : Dean Lewis, président de l'université de Bordeaux © Gautier Dufau
Dean Lewis, président de l'université de Bordeaux © Gautier Dufau

Dean Lewis was born in 1965 in Nîmes. After obtaining his baccalaureate in Périgueux, he enrolled in the Lycée Michel Montaigne in Bordeaux for three years of preparatory classes in advanced mathematics during which his interest in the physical sciences was confirmed as well as his calling for the teaching profession. He continued his studies in applied physics at the Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay (formerly ENS Cachan). After obtaining his agrégation teaching diploma, Dean Lewis returned to University Bordeaux I in 1992 to complete a DEA (Diplôme d'études approfondies) in instrumentation and measurements, followed by a thesis in electronics, and began his teaching career as a part-time lecturer at the Institute of Technology in the Physical Measurements department.

In 1996, he became fully dedicated to teaching and research at University Bordeaux I. He became a teaching fellow in the Physics Department and a lecturer in 1998, then a university professor in 2005.

At the same time, he quickly became involved in the university. Elected Vice-President of the scientific council in December 2010, Dean Lewis ran for and was elected President in 2012 succeeding Alain Boudou. 

Shortly after his election, his main objective was to accompany the university community of science and technology towards the creation of the University of Bordeaux. He embarked on that mission with Manuel Tunon de Lara and Yannick Lung, presidents of Bordeaux Segalen University and University Montesquieu Bordeaux IV respectively. 

A strong advocate of public service, Dean Lewis sought to extend his investment in serving the university community and pursuing his involvement in the newly merged University of Bordeaux.

Upon its creation in 2014, he was elected Vice-President of the board of directors alongside the President Manuel Tunon de Lara. When the latter was re-elected in 2018, Dean Lewis was elected Vice-President of the academic board and appointed Vice-President for human resources.

In that position, he worked to implement a financially- sustainable, proactive human resources policy in line with the University of Bordeaux's missions and goals.

Under his presidency, the University of Bordeaux is pursuing an ambitious scientific policy. In December 2023, for example, he signed a partnership agreement with the CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research) aimed at promoting excellence in multidisciplinary and innovative research, in collaboration with other institutions in the Bordeaux area. His term of office has also been marked by a proactive policy to preserve quality of life at work. A major survey, the initial results of which were published in early 2025, identified ways to improve quality of life at work, an ethical requirement that is essential to the collective success of the university.

At the same time, Dean Lewis plays an active role at the national level in the governance of higher education and research in France. From December 2022 to January 2025, he was vice president of France Universités, the national association of university presidents. In this capacity, he took part in campaigns to raise awareness of the budgetary situation of universities, expressing the urgency of the situation.

Since March 2025, Dean Lewis has been vice-president of the Udice alliance, created in 2020, which brings together several French research universities, including the University of Bordeaux. This alliance aims to enhance the attractiveness of universities and integrate research, training, and innovation missions. 

Dean Lewis was re-elected president of the University of Bordeaux on January 22, 2026, for a second term.
 

Key dates

1988: Admission to the Ecole Normale Supérieur de Cachan (now ENS Paris-Saclay)

1992: Agrégation of applied physical sciences

1996: Doctorate in electronics; Teaching fellow in the physics UFR

1998: Lecturer at the IMS Laboratory (Integration: from Materials to System)

2005: University professor

2006: Director of the physics UFR - University Bordeaux I

2010: Vice-President of scientific council - University Bordeaux I

2012: President of University Bordeaux I

2014: Vice-President of the board of directors - University of Bordeaux

2018: Vice-President for human resources, Vice-President of the academic board - University of Bordeaux

2022-2026: President of the University of Bordeaux

2022-2025: Vice President of France Universités

2025: Vice President of Udice

2026: President of the University of Bordeaux

Presidential powers

The President of the university is elected by an absolute majority of the members of the board of directors from among the lecturer-researchers, researchers, professors or lecturers or any other staff of equivalent status, for a period of 4 years, renewable once.  

The President:

  • chairs the board of directors, prepares and executes its decisions, prepares and implements the multi-annual university contract, also chairs the academic board
  • represents the university in relation to third parties and in legal proceedings, concludes agreements and conventions
  • is the authorising officer for the university's income and expenditure
  • has authority over all university staff and assigns administrative, technical, labour and service staff to the various departments of the university
  • appoints the various juries
  • is responsible for maintaining order, may call in law enforcement and is responsible for security within theuUniversity
  • ensures that the courses and buildings are accessible to university students and staff with disabilities
  • conducts the management dialogue with the directors of the training components and the Graduate Research School director.

Presidential Office

  • Serena Pitti-Ferrandi

    Chief of Staff

    +33 (0)5 40 00 29 95

    serena.pitti-ferrandi%40u-bordeaux.fr

Write to the presidency:

University of Bordeaux
Presidency
351 cours de la Libération
CS 10004
33405 Talence CEDEX

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