In a few "Crown lands" of the Austrian Empire, one seat infederal state parliaments was reserved for the rector of the capital's university, notably: Graz inStyria,Innsbruck inTyrol, and Vienna; inBohemia, two rectors had seats in the equivalent state diet.[citation needed]
Today, Austrian universities are headed by a rectorate (vice-chancellor's office), consisting of a rector (vice-chancellor), who is elected by the university council, and 3-5 additional vice rectors (pro-vice-chancellors). The rector (vice-chancellor) is the CEO of the university.
The head of Belgian universities is called apresident,recteur (French-speaking universities),rector (Dutch-speaking universities), previouslyrector magnificus (men) orrectrix magnifica (women).
The heads ofCzech universities are called therektor. The rector acts in the name of the university and decides the university's affairs unless prohibited by law. The rector is nominated by the University Academic Senate and appointed by thePresident of the Czech Republic. The nomination must be agreed by asimple majority of all senators, while a dismissal must be agreed by at least three fifths of all senators. The vote to elect or repeal a rector is secret. The term of office is four years and a person may hold it for at most two consecutive terms.
The rector appoints vice-rectors (pro-rektor), who act as deputies to the extent determined by the Rector. Rectors' salaries are determined directly by the Minister of Education.
In Danish,rektor is the title used in referring to the heads of universities,gymnasiums, schools of commerce and construction, etc. Generallyrektor may be used for the head of any educational institution above the primary school level, where the head is commonly referred to as a 'skoleinspektør' (Headmaster; Inspector of the school). In universities, the second-ranked official of governance is known asprorektor.
In Finland, the head of a primary school or secondary schools is called a rector (rehtori) provided the school is of sufficient size in terms of faculty and students, otherwise the title is headmaster (koulunjohtaja). The head of some Finnish universities is called chancellor (kansleri).
The head of a German university is called eitherRektor (rector) orPräsident (president). The difference is usually that aRektor is elected by the Senate from among the professors of the university (which is the traditional method of choosing the head of a German university), while aPräsident need be neither a professor nor a member of the university (or of any university) prior to appointment. TheRektor is traditionally addressed asMagnifizenz. The rector forms a collegiate leadership body together with the pro-rectors (Prorektor) and the university's chancellor (Kanzler) - collectively the rectorate (Rektorat). The rectorate is usually aided by several advisors (Referent) who provide advice on specific topics and take over responsibilities in the preparation of decisions, roughly comparable to an associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor in the British academic system.
Rektor is also the official title of the principal/headmaster of an elementary school; the deputies are calledKonrektor. In earlier times, the titleRektor was also used for the head of aGymnasium. Today, these teachers usually hold the title ofOberstudiendirektor ("Senior Director of Studies").
InItaly the rector is the head of the university andRappresentante Legale (Legal representative) of the university. The rector is elected by an electoral body composed of allProfessori ordinari ed associati (full and associate professors), the two highest ranks of the Italian university faculty, all theRicercatori (lowest rank of departments) and representatives of the staff, students and PhD students.
The term of arettore is now six years, in accordance with the new national regulation and thestatuto (constitution of the university).
The Rettore is styled and formally greeted asMagnifico Rettore (Magnificent Rector).
In the Netherlands, the rector is the principal of a high school. The rector is supported by conrectors (deputy rectors who can take his place).
In Dutch universities, theRector Magnificus is responsible for the scientific vision and quality of the university. Therector magnificus is one of the members of the executive board of a university. Therector magnificus is afull professor. The ceremonial responsibilities of therector magnificusare to open theacademic year, and to preside over the ceremonial PhD defenses and inaugural lectures of newly appointed (full) professors. During PhD defenses the rector is usually replaced by another full professor who is acting rector during the session.
A rector (Norwegian:rektor), in the context of academia, is the democratically elected head of a university or university college. The rector is the highest official of the university, and is traditionally elected among the institution's professorship, originally by all the (full) professors and in modern times by all academic employees, the students and the non-academic employees. The rector is traditionally the head of theCollegium Academicum, which has been renamed the university board in the 2000s, and is also the university's chief executive and ceremonial head. The elected deputy of the rector is known as pro-rector (Norwegian:prorektor). Some institutions also have vice rectors, who are appointed by the rector and subordinate to the rector and pro-rector.
Traditionally, Norwegian universities and colleges had democratic elections for the rector and pro-rector positions. Since 2016, the institutions may choose to have an elected or an appointed rector.[1] Universities and colleges usually have auniversity director orcollege director, who is the head of the administration (i.e., the non-academic employees) and subordinate to the rectorate.
InPoland, the rector (Polish:rektor) serves as the elected head of a university or university college. In military and military-type higher education institutions, the equivalent position is referred to as commander (Polish:komendant). The rector is the highest official of theuniversity. Rector of the university can be a person with at least adoctoral degree, employed by the university as the main place of work. Rector is referred to as Jego/Jej Magnificencja (en. His/Her Magnificence) (abbreviation: JM). The outfit of rector is red or purple coat (robe) withermine fur, often with ascepter and a decorative string of symbols of the university. Deputy rectors (Polish:prorektor) at official ceremonies are dressed in the samegown, but with fewer decorations (usually without the fur). Rectors of military universities wear only an officer's uniform and a necklace with symbols of the university.
As of 2008, the term of office of the rector of public universities lasts for four years (previously three years), beginning on 1 September in an election year and ending on 31 August of the year in which the term ends. A person may not be elected to serve as rector for more than two consecutive terms. In the case of private universities the rule is regulated byuniversity statute.
InPortugal, the Rector (Portuguese:Reitor male orReitora female), frequently addressed asMagnificent Rector (Magnífico Reitor in Portuguese), is the elected highest official of eachuniversity, governing and representing the university.Those universities whose foundation has been historically approved by the Pope, as e.g. the rector of theUniversity of Coimbra, the oldest Portuguese university, is referred to asMagnífico Reitor (Rector's name) ("Rector Magnificus (Rector's Name)"). The others are referred to asExcelentíssimo Senhor Reitor. The rector of a university is helped by vice-rectors and by pro-rectors, with different responsibilities. Until 1974, the director of eachlyceum (high school) also had the title of Rector.[citation needed]
InRussia, the rector (Russian:Ректор) as a term for a university chancellor introduced in 1961. Before 1961 university chancellor had title "director" (Russian:Директор).
In Spain, all Rectors must be addressed asSeñor Rector Magnífico according to the law (Ley Orgánica 4/2007), but the Rector of theUniversity of Salamanca, the oldest on the Iberian Peninsula, is usually styled according to academic protocol asExcelentísimo e Ilustrísimo Señor Profesor DoctorDon (Rector's name), Rector Magnífico de la Universidad de Salamanca ("The Most Excellent and Most Illustrious Lord Professor Doctor Don (Rector's name),Rector Magnificus of the University of Salamanca").
InSpain,Rector orRector Magnífico (magnific rector, from LatinRector Magnificus) is the highest administrative and educational office in a university, equivalent to that of president or chancellor of an English-speaking university but holding all the powers of a vice-chancellor; they are thus the head of the academy at universities. Formally styled asExcelentísimo e Ilustrísimo Señor Profesor Doctor Don N, Rector Magnífico de la Universidad de X ("Most Excellent and Illustrious Lord Professor Doctor Don N, Rector Magnificus of the University of X"), it is an office of high dignity within Spanish society, usually being highly respected. It is not strange to see them appear in the media, especially when some academic-related subject is being discussed and their opinion is requested.
Spanish rectors are chosen from within the body of university fullprofessors (Catedráticos in Spanish); it is compulsory for anyone aspiring to become a rector to have been a doctor for at least six years before his election, and to have achieved professor status, holding it in the same university for which he is running. Usually, when running for election, the rector will need to have chosen the vice-rectors (vicerrectores in Spanish), who will occupy several sub-offices in the university. Rectors are elected directly by free and secret universal suffrage of all the members of the university, including students, lecturers, readers, researchers, and civil servants. However, the weight of the vote in each academic sector is different: the total student vote usually represents 20% of the whole, no matter how many students there are; the votes of the entire group made up of professors and readers (members of what used to be known as theClaustro (cloister)) usually count for about 40-50% of the total; lecturers, researchers (including Ph.D. students and others) and non-doctoral teachers, about 20% of the total; and the remainder (usually some 5-10%) is left for non-scholarly workers (people in administration, etc.) in the university. Spanish law allows those percentages to be changed according to the situation of each university, or even not to have a direct election system. Indeed, in a few universities the Rector is chosen indirectly; the members of the modernClaustro (a sort of electoral college or parliament in which all the above-mentioned groups are represented) is chosen first, and then the Claustro selects the Rector.
Rectors hold their office for four years before another election is held, and there is no limit to the number of re-election terms. However, only the most charismatic and respected rectors have been able to hold their office for more than two or three terms. Of those, some have been notableSpanish scholars, such asBasque writerMiguel de Unamuno, Rector of theUniversity of Salamanca from 1901 until 1936.
Rektor is the title for the highest-ranked administrative and educational leader for an academic institution, such as a primary school, secondary school, private school, high school, college or university. Therektors of state-run colleges and universities are formally appointed by the government, i.e. the cabinet, but upon the advice of the concerned institution's board, and usually following some sort of democratic process at the concerned institution. The adjunct of arektor at a university is called aprorektor and is appointed by the institution's board. Some institutions also havevicerektorer (vice rectors), who are appointed by therektor to carry out a sub-set of therektor's tasks. Avicerektor is subordinate to therektor andprorektor.
In the older universities,Uppsala university andLund university, therektor is titledrector magnificus (men), orrectrix magnifica (women). Younger universities have in more recent years started using the Latin honorary title in formal situations, such as in honorary speeches or graduation ceremonies.
The University Chancellor of Sweden was until 2017 the title of the head of the government accrediting agency, theNational Agency for Higher Education. From 2017, this position carries the title Director General which is the usual title of the head of a government agency. The people recruited to the position have in later times always been formerrektors of a Swedish university. The position does not include leadership of a university.
Universities and colleges usually have aUniversitetsdirektör orFörvaltningschef, who is the head of the administration (i.e., the non-academic employees) and subordinate to the rectorate.
In England, most universities are led by a chancellor (a ceremonial position) and a vice-chancellor (the academic head). Where the title of 'rector' is used for a substantive position, it has normally been for the leaders of non-university institutions such as university colleges, polytechnics and colleges of higher education, or forheads of college at colleges in federal or collegiate universities.
Historically, thehead of Imperial College London was called the rector, until this was split into aprovost and "president and rector" in 2012.[8] In 2014,Alice Gast was announced as simply president, replacingKeith O'Nions who had been "president and rector".[9] An amendment to the university's statutes in November 2014 formally replaced the title of rector with that of president.[10] Prior to their conversion to universities, somepolytechnics had a rector as the head of the establishment; following their transition to universities, the position of rector was retitled as vice-chancellor. Polytechnics using this title includedCentral London,[11]East London,[12]Huddersfield,[13]Liverpool[14] andSunderland.[15] Some colleges of higher education, such asNene College of Higher Education, also used the title of rector prior to becoming universities.[16] King's College, Newcastle, the Newcastle division of the then-federal University of Durham, was led by a rector from its establishment in 1937 until it becameNewcastle University in 1963, when the rector of the college became the vice-chancellor of the new university. The position ofvice-chancellor of the federal university alternated between the rector of King's College (as vice-chancellor and rector) and the warden of the Durham colleges, the head of the Durham division (as vice-chancellor and warden).[17] At theUniversity of Cambridge, the officers now known asproctors were originally (in the 13th century) called rectors.[18]
The current office of rector, sometimes termedlord rector, was instituted by theUniversities (Scotland) Act 1858, passed by theParliament of the United Kingdom.[20] With the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889 requiring an election for the rector every three years in theancient universities.[21] The rector is the third-ranking official of university governance and is elected every three years bymatriculated students at Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and St Andrews, and by both the students and the staff at Edinburgh.[22][23][19] Until theHigher Education Governance (Scotland) Act 2016 came into force, the rector chaired meetings of theuniversity court, the governing body of the university; since 2016 the rector only opens and closes court meetings with the senior lay member chairing the business of the meeting.[24]
Thetitular head of an ancient university in Scotland is thechancellor, who appoints a vice-chancellor to deputise in the awarding ofdegrees. Theprincipal of each university is, byconvention, appointed as vice-chancellor, however the position of vice-chancellor does not confer any other powers or responsibility on the principal. The authority to serve as chief executive of each university is vested in the office of principal, who holds both offices referred to asprincipal and bice-chancellor.[25][20]
The role of the rector is considered by many students[by whom?] to be integral to their ability to shape the universities' agenda, and one of the main functions of the rector is to represent the interests of the student body. To some extent the office of rector has evolved into more of a figurehead role, with a significant number of celebrities and personalities elected as rectors, such asStephen Fry andLorraine Kelly atDundee,Clarissa Dickson Wright atAberdeen, andJohn Cleese andFrank Muir atSt Andrews, and political figures, such asMordechai Vanunu atGlasgow. In many cases, particularly with high-profile rectors, attendance at the university court in person is rare;[citation needed] the rector nominates an individual (normally a member of the student body) with the title ofrector's assessor, who sits as a voting member of the university court.[26]
The rector is the head of most universities and other higher educational institutions in at least parts of Central and Eastern Europe, such as Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Romania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Hungary and Ukraine. The rector's deputies are known as "pro-rectors". Individual departments of a university (calledfaculties) are headed bydeans.
As in most Commonwealth and British-influenced countries, the term "rector" is not commonly used in English in Canada outside Quebec. At the bilingualUniversity of Ottawa, in Ontario the term president is used in English whilerecteur (orrectrice) continues is the French term for the head of the university.[31] In addition, the historically French-Catholic, and now bilingual,Saint Paul University, also in Ottawa, uses the term to denote its head.[32]
In Mexico, the term "rector" refers to the highest authority of most of National and State Universities, it is also usual in private Universities. The Schools and Faculties (Facultades in Spanish) are in charge of Directors which are below the authority of the rector. The rector is often selected from the full time professors and have periods which vary in the different universities.
Most US colleges do not use the term "rector." The terms "president" and "chancellor" are often used for the chief executive of universities and university systems, depending on the institution's statutes or governing documents. Some state university systems have both "presidents" of the constituent institutions and a "chancellor" of the overall system, or vice versa; for example, in theUniversity of California system, each of the ten campuses is headed by a chancellor, while the leader of the system is given the title "president." Colleges and universities, or state systems, also typically havegoverning boards (akin to aboard of directors), which may be referred to by a variety of names, including "board of trustees" and "board of regents", and which are usually led by a chairperson.
From 1701 to 1745, the head of the school that was to becomeYale University was termed the "rector". As head ofYale College,Thomas Clap was both the last to be called "rector" (1740–1745) and the first to be referred to as president (1745–1766). Modern custom omits the use of the term "rector" and identifiesAbraham Pierson as the first Yale president (1701–1707), making Clap the fifth of Yale's leaders, regardless of title.[35]
SeveralCatholic colleges and universities, particularly those run byreligious orders of priests (such as theJesuits) used to employ the term "rector" to refer to the school's chief officer. In many cases, the rector was also the head of the community of priests assigned to the school, so the two posts – head of the university and local superior of the priests – were merged in the role of rector (See "Ecclesiastical rectors"). This practice is mostly no longer followed, as the details of the governance of most of these schools have changed.Creighton University still appoints a rector. At theUniversity of Notre Dame, the title "rector" is used for those in charge of individualresidence halls.
The term "rector" is uncommon in Australian academic institutions. The executive head of an Australian university has traditionally been given the British title Vice-Chancellor, although in recent times the American term President has also been adopted. The term rector is used by some academic institutions, such as the University of Melbourne residential college, Newman College; the private boys' school, Xavier College; and the University of Sydney residential college, St John's College (Benedictine).
The title rector is sometimes used for the head of a subordinate and geographically separate campus of a university. For example, the executive head of theAustralian Defence Force Academy in Canberra, which is a campus of theUniversity of New South Wales in Sydney is a Rector, as is the head of the Cairns campus ofJames Cook University, based at Townsville.
The heads of certain Indianboarding schools are called rectors. The head or principal of a Catholic school in India is also called a rector.[citation needed]
Rector is the highest executive post in universities in Indonesia. At a public university, university senate members select a pool three candidates for the education minister to decide the rector from. Except for autonomous public university (PTN-BH), rector was elected by university board of trustees. The final decision is not necessarily the one with the majority of the university senate's votes.[37]
Colonnade at the reconstructedYushima Seidō in Tokyo. The hereditary rectors of thisEdo period institution were selected from theHayashi clan.
During the years of theTokugawa shogunate (1601–1868), the rector of Edo's Confucian Academy, theShōhei-kō (afterwards known at theYushima Seidō), was known by the honorific titleDaigaku-no kami which, in the context of the Tokugawa hierarchy, can effectively be translated as "Head of the State University". The rector of theYushima Seidō stood at the apex of the country-wide educational and training system which was created and maintained with the personal involvement of successive shōguns. The position as rector of theYushima Seidō became hereditary in theHayashi family.[38] The rectors' scholarly reputation was burnished by the publication in 1657 of the seven volumes ofSurvey of the Sovereigns of Japan (日本王代一覧,Nihon Ōdai Ichiran)[39] and by the publication in 1670 of the 310 volumes ofThe Comprehensive History of Japan (本朝通鑑,Honchō-tsugan).[40]
In the former Portuguese colony ofMacau, aSpecial Administrative Region of China since late 1999, the highest administrative officials of four universities, namelyUniversity of Macau,Macao Polytechnic University, University of Saint Joseph, and City University of Macau, are titled as 'Rector'. However, the equivalent position is 'President' at the Macau University of Science and Technology.[citation needed]
In thisCommonwealth country, the termRektor is used to refer to the highest administrative official in several universities and higher education institutions in Malaysia, such as theInternational Islamic University Malaysia inGombak. For theUniversiti Teknologi MARA, the termRektor is used for head of a branch campus and answers to theNaib Canselor. ARektor is comparable to the position ofNaib Canselor, or vice-chancellor, in other higher education institutions, as theRektor answers to theCanselor.[citation needed]
The termrector (Burmese:ပါမောက္ခချုပ်) is used to refer to the highest official of universities inMyanmar. Each university department is headed by a professor, who is responsible to the rector. Nowadays, given the large dimensions of some universities, the position of pro-rector has emerged, just below that of the rector. Pro-rectors are in charge of managing particular areas of the university, such as research orundergraduate education. For example:Rector of University of Magway, a big role in Myanmar education.[citation needed]
The termrector orRector Magnificus is used to refer to the highest official in prominent Catholic universities and colleges such as theUniversity of Santo Tomas, theColegio de San Juan de Letran, and theSan Beda University. The rector typically sits as chair of the university board of trustees. He exercises policy-making, general academic, managerial, and religious functions over all university academic and non-academic staff.
During the Spanish colonial period, on 20 May 1865, a royal order from Queen Isabella II gave theRector Magnificus of the University of Santo Tomas the power to direct and supervise all the educational institutions in the Philippines and thus, the Rector of the university became theex officio head of the secondary and higher education in the Philippines. All diplomas issued by other schools were approved by the Rector of the university and examinations leading to the issuance of such diplomas were supervised by the professors of the University of Santo Tomas.[41][42]
The termrector is not widely used to refer to the highest executive position in Thai universities (Thai:อธิการบดี;RTGS: Athikan Bodi ), compared to the termpresident.Thammasat University adopts this term for this position to reflect its tradition associated with the French education system wherePridi Banomyong, Thammasat's founding father was educated.
ExceptAssumption University, the only International Catholic University in Thailand, the position of the head of the executives and administrators of the institute is "rector". A decade after the present rector assume his duty, the title of Rector Magnificus was bestowed onRev. Bro. Bancha Saenghiran, f.s.g.,[clarification needed] Ph.D. at a solemn Academic ceremony on 1 November 2011 at the Assumption University Suvarnabhumi campus in the ornate Chapel of St. Louis Marie de Montfort (founder of theMontfortian Brothers of St. Gabriel.)
The termrector (Portuguese:Reitor) is used to refer to the highest official of universities inBrazil. Each faculty is headed by a director, who is under the authority of the rector. Nowadays, given the large size of some universities, the position of pro-rector has emerged below that of the rector. The pro-rector is in charge of managing a particular area of the university, such as research orundergraduate education.[citation needed]
A rector who has resigned is often given the titlerectoremeritus. One who temporarily performs the functions usually fulfilled by a rector is styled apro-rector (in parishes, administrator).
Deputies of rectors in institutions are known asvice-rectors (in parishes, as curates, assistant - or associate rectors, etc.). In some universities the title vice-rector has, likevice-chancellor in many Anglo-Saxon cases, been used for the de facto head when the essentially honorary title of rector is reserved for a high externa dignitary; until 1920, there was such avice-recteur at the ParisianSorbonne as the French Minister of Education was its nominalrecteur.
