France seeks new president for University of Mayotte

The French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation has opened the recruitment process for the presidency of the Université de Mayotte, announcing that the post of head of establishment is to be filled from 14 December 2026. The vacancy notice was published in the Journal officiel de la République française n° 0195 of 22 August 2026 (reference JORFTEXT000054734030, NOR ESRS2621738V).

The successful candidate will be appointed for a term of five years, renewable once, by order of the minister responsible for higher education, on the proposal of the university’s board of directors. The post is open to teaching staff, whether civil servants or not, without regard to nationality.

The university and its profile

The Université de Mayotte was created from the transformation of the Centre universitaire de formation et de recherche (CUFR) of Mayotte by decree n° 2023-1356 of 29 December 2023. It is a public scientific, cultural and professional higher-education establishment governed by articles L. 715-1 to L. 715-3 of the French Education Code.

The institution currently counts 1 800 students and 143 staff members. It awards the national degrees and diplomas for which it has been accredited by the minister, alone or jointly with other institutions, and may also award its own diplomas. Teaching and research are organised around four departments and one laboratory:

• Droit, Économie et gestion
• Lettres et sciences humaines
• Sciences et technologies
• Sciences de l’éducation
• Laboratoire interdisciplinaire de recherche sur les socio-écosystèmes de Mayotte (LIRSEM)

Duties and obligations

The head of establishment represents the Université de Mayotte and exercises the full range of powers set out in article L. 712-2 of the Education Code, subject to the presidency of the board of directors. The post is among those subject to the obligation to file a declaration of interests before appointment, as provided for by articles L. 122-2 and R. 122-1 to R. 122-17 of the general code of the civil service. The declaration must be handed to the appointing authority under double sealed cover bearing a note of its confidential nature, which acknowledges receipt.

How to apply

Candidates must submit a letter of motivation, a curriculum vitae and a notice of titles and works. Applications must be sent within four weeks of the publication of the notice in the Journal officiel:

• by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt, to the direction générale des services of the Université de Mayotte, 8, rue de l’Université – Iloni, BP 53, 97660 Dembeni, and by email to dgs@univ-mayotte.fr; and
• by email to the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, direction générale de l’enseignement supérieur et de l’insertion professionnelle, at soutien.controle.legalite@enseignementsup.gouv.fr.

The vacancy comes as the young university, established barely three years ago, consolidates its role as the only higher-education institution in the French overseas department of Mayotte. The appointment of a new president for a five-year term will shape the institution’s academic and administrative direction through the end of the decade, making the notice a key step for the territory’s higher-education landscape.

Source: Journal officiel de la République française, n° 0195, 22 August 2026, section Avis (official reference: JORFTEXT000054734030, NOR ESRS2621738V).