Rector Marina Brambilla has been elected to the LERU Board of Directors

Marina Brambilla, Rector of the University of Milan, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), a leading network of European research-intensive universities, of which the University is a founding member.

The election took place during the LERU Rectors' Assembly, held at the University of Heidelberg (Germany) on 15 and 16 May. At the meeting, Linda Doyle, Provost of Trinity College Dublin, was confirmed as Chair of the Board, and Sir Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, was re-elected to the Board.

Rector Brambilla's appointment to the LERU Board represents a significant honour for the University of Milan and strengthens its strategic role in international research and higher education. This is the first time since 2002 that the University of Milan has been represented on the Board of Directors.

"I am very proud of this appointment, which further strengthens the University of Milan’s presence within European academic networks," said Rector Marina Brambilla, "confirming our commitment to promoting excellence in research, innovation and international cooperation. My election represents a significant opportunity to contribute actively, bringing the perspective of an Italian university and of the part of Europe closest to the Mediterranean to the debate on the future of research and higher education in Europe, at a time of profound transformation and new global challenges."

Strategic topics with a growing impact on the European university system were also discussed during the LERU Rectors' Assembly, including the impact of artificial intelligence on teaching, research and university administration, the issue of 'dual-use' research, the future of European funding for research and innovation, and the role of doctoral programmes as a resource for society.

The Assembly was opened by Maria Cristina Russo, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, who delivered the keynote address. In her speech, she discussed the future of European research and innovation policies, highlighting both opportunities and challenges in an especially complex geopolitical context.

The next LERU Rectors’ Assembly will be hosted in November 2026 by University College London (UCL) in London.