What do you consider to be the most significant achievements of your first term in office?

Dean Lewis : This first term of office was conducted in an unprecedentedly difficult context: sustained inflation, rising student numbers, new costs not funded by the State, increasing regulatory and organisational complexity, and the gradual phasing out of the Research Programming Act. Despite this, the University of Bordeaux has maintained a clear stance: not to sacrifice jobs, and to preserve our missions and our investment capacity.

In concrete terms, between 2022 and 2026, we have maintained the number of tenured lecturers and research fellows, whereas many universities have been forced to reduce their staff numbers. We have extended an ambitious plan to promote university professors. We have increased the salaries of more than 1,100 contract BIATSS (professional and administrative) staff members. For permanent BIATSS staff, we have anticipated certain measures in the Research Programming Act.

In terms of infrastructure, several major facilities have been delivered or renovated, profoundly transforming the campuses and, as expected, significantly reducing our energy consumption as well as our greenhouse gas emissions.

Fundamentally, we have reinforced Bordeaux's position as a research-intensive university, supported fundamental research, strengthened interdisciplinarity and developed visible science initiatives for and with society. We have strengthened our presence in the areas where we operate in order to provide access to higher education for as many people as possible.

More broadly, the University of Bordeaux has an international profile (as evidenced by its attractiveness and its position in international rankings), is recognised in the field of innovation and technology transfer (second French university for patent filings) and is committed to environmental and societal transitions (second French university in the Times Higher Education ranking). Employment rates are high and international appeal has increased. Our institution is a national benchmark in terms of student life and life on campus.

This outcome is the result of collective commitment and sometimes difficult decisions, made in order to preserve what is essential.

What are your top priorities for the next four years?

D. L. : The second term is not simply an extension of the first: it aims to consolidate what has been achieved and tackle head-on those areas that remain fragile. To achieve this, we must strengthen our capacity for collective action, consolidate our missions and responsibly support the changes of our time. This means protecting our public university model and its values, simplifying our operating methods, and lightening the workload to restore meaning to our missions so that we can act in a sustainable, effective, and consistent manner.

Our top priority remains to improve the conditions in which we carry out our work. We must take a significant step forward in building an administration focused on the needs of staff and students, based on trust, proximity and continuous improvement. We will undertake a genuine simplification of our processes and systems while supporting the necessary organisational changes, with constant vigilance regarding workload.

We must also anticipate a major challenge: the wave of retirements expected by 2030, which will affect, among others, more than half of teaching and research staff. This requires in-depth consideration of the future skills needs of training and research departments, improving the attractiveness of careers in higher education and research, and ensuring a solid recruitment pool in the context of declining PhD student numbers in France. 

Finally, we want to set a clear course for environmental and digital transitions. Faced with the advent of artificial intelligence, we will anticipate the upheavals in our practices and tasks, and propose an ethical, inclusive, effective and sustainable use of AI.

Budgetary, property, educational and technological choices must be consistent with this ambition.

Your project is entitled “Strengthening the University Together”. What does 'together' mean in practical terms in your approach to governance?

D. L. : Governing ‘together’ means first recognising the complexity of a multidisciplinary university with 54,000 students and over 6,000 staff, which also hosts more than 2,000 staff from research organisations spread across some twenty campuses. This means listening, explaining and sharing our opportunities and limitations as widely as possible. During the first term of office, we increased the number of forms of dialogue: campus meetings, webinars, strategic dialogues with the various departments, and direct exchanges with staff.

However, this approach still needs to gain clarity. Major programmes (IdEx, NewDEAL, DReAM, ACT, etc.) have provided real scope for implementing institutional projects, without which the only option would be to manage budgetary constraints. However, their effects are not always perceived. The 2025-2027 programme and changes to the governance of major programmes must meet this objective.

‘Together’ also means changing our decision-making processes to make them more participatory, without making them more cumbersome, and strengthening trust rather than control. Essentially, 'together' means sharing the same set of values, a commitment to transparency and the primacy of the public interest. This means affirming the role of public universities as pillars of knowledge production, dissemination and transmission.

In a highly competitive environment, how can the University of Bordeaux remain attractive to students, doctoral candidates and staff?

D. L. : Attractiveness is not something that can be declared; it must be developed continuously over time. In Bordeaux, it is based on a comprehensive ecosystem. For students, this means research-informed teaching with excellent graduate employability rates, strengthened support mechanisms, a strong focus on mental health and on addressing student poverty, as well as a rich campus life that is well connected to the local community.

For staff, attractiveness depends on recognition of their work, career prospects, material conditions and the quality of the working environment. We have invested in campuses and their accessibility, and, in addition to the Research Programming Act, have committed to salary increases and significant promotion campaigns despite a tight budgetary context.

Finally, our appeal lies in our international outlook: European alliances, strategic partnerships, welcoming international researchers and students, including those in vulnerable situations. It is a strong, conscious political choice.

What major changes would you like to see in the range of courses on offer and study conditions during this term of office?

D. L. : When it comes to education, our objective is clear: to ensure success for as many people as possible without compromising k. This requires constant adaptation of curricula, the development of apprenticeships, continuing education and innovative teaching methods.

The university has been able to absorb a significant increase in student numbers while maintaining a high level of student satisfaction. However, this model remains fragile. It requires better support for students who are furthest removed from higher education, addressing the effects of certain complex national reforms (PASS-LAS in the field of health, for example) and strengthening educational supervision.

Study conditions are inextricably linked to success: housing, health, inclusion, and prevention of discrimination. These issues will remain central throughout my term of office.

In a context of underfunding and increasing administrative burdens, how can the University of Bordeaux maintain the excellence of its research?

D. L. : Research is at the heart of the University of Bordeaux's identity. Preserving scientific excellence today means combating two major obstacles: the erosion of long-term funding and the increase in administrative overload.

We will continue to support fundamental research, including in disciplines that are less visible or receive less project funding. We must also clarify research governance, particularly the scope and role of our research departments, and better coordinate research and training.

Giving researchers back their time is a key challenge: simplifying procedures, improving coordination with research organisations, and making judicious use of artificial intelligence as a support tool rather than an additional constraint. Open science, ethics and academic freedom will remain non-negotiable principles.

Are you concerned that higher education is entering a period of crisis management? If so, how is the University of Bordeaux preparing for this?

D. L. : Yes, this risk is real. Many universities are already in structural deficit: they have reduced their investments, their operations and their jobs. At the University of Bordeaux, we have so far avoided emergency measures, which would be applied in a brutal and indiscriminate manner, thanks to forward planning, the mobilisation of our own resources and the leeway offered by major programmes.

However, this situation is not sustainable in the long term without a change in national policy. The university cannot be sustainably funded by temporary projects or by increasing pressure on its staff. We will therefore continue to raise awareness collectively about the need for sustainable funding at the right level and to defend a simple principle: when the State makes a decision, it must provide the funding. When the State asserts that youth, higher education and research are priorities, it must provide the necessary resources.

This is the price that universities must pay in order to continue to fully play their role in serving students, local communities, society and the sovereignty of our country.