Luc Sels is new KU Leuven rector

In a surprising turn of events, Sels received 1,088  votes – or 50.6 % of the total – to Torfs’ 1,040. The dean was especially popular among student representatives and the administrative, technical and assisting academic staff. The majority of professors and lecturers chose Torfs.

Sels, 50, has lead his faculty since 2009. He is also the director of the Centre of Expertise on Labour Market Monitoring, a university-based knowledge centre that monitors and analyses the labour market on behalf of the government of Flanders.

During the campaign, Sels did not propose any significant policy changes but indicated that he would like to see more international collaboration with top institutions. He also said that scientific research should prioritise quality over quantity. He will begin the four-year post in August.

After the victory, Sels acknowledged that the race was close. “It’s not a very big difference, which indicates that we had a strong and substantive debate, leading to votes going in both directions,” he told VRT. He added that he will try to create unity in the following weeks.

The campaign reached a turbulent point in the days leading up to the election. Last week, Sels filed a complaint against one of Torfs’ close staff members, while the student council pulled out of the electoral commission because of a dispute with its chair.