Soon, the rectoral duo for the 2025–2029 term will be elected, and as you know, I am once again a candidate for the rector mandate. During the 2017-2021 and 2021-2025 terms, I had the privilege – together with vice rector Mieke Van Herreweghe and many others – of helping to shape the future of our university. I have done this with great pleasure.

During a third and final term as rector (period 2025–2029), I would be happy to serve again. Over the past years, Mieke and I have been able to count on the support of many people at UGent, in both good and difficult times, as the saying goes. I hope that, together with the current candidate for vice rector, Ilse Derluyn, I can once more count on your support.

I understand that there are different opinions about a possible third term as rector. The absence of precedents at UGent can raise questions, which is entirely normal. Nevertheless, I am convinced that a third term offers significant opportunities and added value. I am happy to explain why.

Soon you will be choosing the rectoral team for the 2025–2029 term. As you know, I am running for the position of vice rector, together with candidate-rector Rik Van de Walle.

I made that choice because working at a university, and at Ghent University in particular, is an incredibly wonderful and enriching job. But also, because the university as an institution is indispensable to society – due to the intrinsic value of the knowledge it creates, of the answers it offers to societal challenges, of the critical voice it can represent, and of the opportunities it provides for young people to develop a multiperspectivist, critical outlook. For me, standing as a candidate for vice rector is a clear choice to help shape that kind of university and to make Ghent University an environment that is as enriching as possible for every student and staff member.