General Council & Board

Prof. MUDr. Martin Procházka, Ph.D. has served as the Rector of Palacký University Olomouc, after having been elected to this position in May 2021. Before assuming the position of Rector, Professor Procházka was the Dean of Palacký University’s Faculty of Health Science.

A graduate of the Palacký University Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Professor Procházka is Professor of Gynaecology and Obstetrics. Since 1994 he has worked at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the UP Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and University Hospital Olomouc. Previously, he also headed the Department of Midwifery at the UP Faculty of Health Sciences. He gained professional experience during study stays and internships in Belgium, Sweden, and the Netherlands.

Barbara Albert serves as Rector of University of Duisburg-Essen. She is a distinguished expert in the field of solid-state chemistry, former president of the German Chemical Society and member of the Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Sciences. Prior to joining University of Duisburg-Essen, she held professorships at the universities of Hamburg and Darmstadt. At the Technical University Darmstadt, she also was Dean of the Department of Chemistry and Vice-President of Research and Early Careers.

Jean-Luc Dubois-Randé serving as President of Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) since 2018.  A medical doctor specialised in cardiology, he is a university professor at UPEC and a hospital practitioner in cardiology at Henri-Mondor Hospital since 1994. He also served as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at UPEC from 2010 to 2018 and was President of the Conference of Deans of Medicine in France from 2016 to 2018. Jean-Luc’s passion for medicine was further reinforced when he became Head of the Cardiology Department at Henri-Mondor Hospital since 2000. In addition, Jean-Luc Dubois-Randé has been the President of the Digital University in Health and Sports (UNESS) since 2020, and President of the UPEC Foundation since 2021.

In the third year of her Bachelor Degree in Administration and International Exchange, Mathilde serves as an assessor for the Aurora European university alliance at the Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC). She is also President of the Aurora Student Council. Additionally, she is an elected student representative at the General Council of UPEC and serves as the Treasurer of the Fédération des Associations de Créteil, which is an association created to represent students and assist other associations by providing training for their members, etc.

Veronika Sexl is a renowned cancer researcher specializing in tumor surveillance and signaling in leukemogenesis, with over 200 peer-reviewed publications and numerous awards. She maintains extensive international collaborations and serves on various boards, including the European Hematology Association (EHA). Since March 2023, Veronika Sexl is Rector of Universität Innsbruck.

Born in El Perelló in 1967, he has been General Director of Universities and General Director of University Planning and Research of the Generalitat de Catalunya (2016-19) and, at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Vice-Rector for Academic Policy and PDI (2014-16), Vice-Rector of PDI (2008-14), Vice-Rector for Transfer and Innovation (2006-08) and Director of the Department of Electronic Engineering, Electric and Automatic (2000-06).

With a background as Chief Technology Officer at FrieslandCampina and extensive involvement in international research collaborations, she spearheads initiatives for enduring societal impact. Her leadership highlights VU Amsterdam’s dedication to scientific excellence and global engagement, committed to addressing global challenges.

Professor Jón Atli Benediktsson was elected Rector of the University of Iceland and President of the Governing Council in July 2015. Prior to taking office Jón Atli Benediktsson was a professor in the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He was the Pro-Rector for Science and Academic Affairs from 2009 and served in various other administrative capacities within the University of Iceland.

Professor Benediktsson received his Ph.D. in 1990 from Purdue University, USA. His research focuses on remote sensing, image analysis, signal processing and biomedical engineering. He has published over 300 papers and book chapters in his field. Professor Benediktsson is the Chair of the Icelandic Rectors´ Conference and sits on the council of the European University Association. Jón Atli was elected President of the Aurora Universities Network in 2020 and re-elected in 2022.