Magnificus of the University of Amsterdam, as its new Chair. She takes over from Professor Jean Chambaz, outgoing president of Sorbonne University.
Professor Maex built her career as a lecturer and researcher in the nanosciences, with appointments at KU Leuven and the IMEC research centre in Belgium. She was Vice-Rector at KU Leuven from 2005 to 2013, overseeing the university’s Science and Technology Group. In 2014 she moved to Amsterdam, becoming Dean of the university’s Faculty of Science, then Rector Magnificus in 2016. She has been a member of LERU’s Board of Directors since 2018.
The LERU Rectors’ Assembly, hosted virtually by Sorbonne University on 21-22 May 2021, also elected Professor Bernhard Eitel, Rector of Heidelberg University, to the Board of Directors. He will serve alongside Professor Maex and Professor Yves Flückiger, Rector of the University of Geneva.
In a busy agenda, the Assembly discussed a (soon to be published) statement on the Covid-19 pandemic and the role research-intensive universities can play in creating resilient and sustainable societies. The European Commission’s plans for a sustainable recovery were also discussed, along with broader developments in EU policy for research, innovation and higher education.