Van de Walle Versus de Sutter: Candidates for UGent rector election are fixed (Ghent)
© Belga
UGent today announced the official candidates for the rector elections. Challenger Petra De Sutter will compete against current rector Rik van de Walle.
In three weeks, around 50,000 students and staff from Ghent University can vote. They decide which duo can call itself rector and vice sector in the coming four academic years.
Since Tuesday, the candidates have been official: current rector Rik van de Walle comes together with Professor Intercultural Pedagogy Ilse Derluyn, and is challenged by former green-vice prime minister and professor of reproductive medicine Petra De Sutter, in duo with political scientist Herwig Reynaert.
Van de Walle forms a duo with Ilse Derluyn. – © X
De Sutter comes up with Herwig Reynaert. – © Instagram
In the coming days, objections can be submitted to the applications. The election committee will rule on this on Wednesday 16 April. The vote will be opened on Tuesday 29 April at 8 am, which runs until Wednesday 30 April at 12 noon. The results of the first round will be announced on Wednesday afternoon.
To win, a duo must get a simple majority from the students and the various personnel groups at UGent. If that fails, voting rounds will follow on 6 and 14 May. In 2017, Van de Walle and Vice Rector Mieke van Herreweghe needed no fewer than nine voting rounds, in 2021 there were no counter candidates. If Van de Walle also makes it this time, he becomes the first UGent rector who holds three times one after the other that position.
