Following recent criticism of the working environment and internal procedures at the university, Minister for Research and Higher Education Stéphanie Obertin announced the launch of an external ministerial audit into the governance of the institution.
The new audit, which is separate from but complementary to an audit already approved by the university’s governance council, will examine decision-making processes, the transparency of procedures, and potential conflicts of interest.
The minister said she wants a comprehensive and impartial analysis to identify any sources of dysfunction and reinforce trust within the university. Timetables for the two audits will be announced at a later date.
Last week, MPs sitting on the parliamentary committee for higher education criticised the fact that the university had commissioned its own external audit and defined the terms of reference itself. Concerns were also raised that the scope of that audit excluded the university’s governance structures.
Obertin has now stressed that both audits share the same objective: to identify any potential shortcomings and to put forward concrete recommendations for improvement.
