Emmanuel Roux appointed rector of the Nice academy

The Council of Ministers on July 27, 2026 appointed Emmanuel Roux rector of the Nice academy and its 1,400 establishments. A specialist in public law, former president of the University of Nîmes and current delegate rector for higher education in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Emmanuel Roux will succeed Natacha Chicot.

The Council of Ministers meeting this Monday, July 27, 2026 officially confirmed the appointment of Emmanuel Roux to the position of rector of the Nice academy. Professor of universities in public law, taking office scheduled for August 3, 2026.

Emmanuel Roux will replace Natacha Chicot, in office since 2022. The rector will join the academic region of Normandy as of the same date. Before Natacha Chicot, the Nice rectorate was headed by Richard Laganier, appointed in April 2019.

A career spanning university, the Court of Auditors and ministry

Holder of a doctorate in public law obtained from Aix-Marseille University in 2000, then a habilitation to direct research (HDR) in 2003, Emmanuel Roux began his university career in 2001 at the Faculty of Law and Economics of the University of Réunion. Lecturer, he also directed the public law laboratory.

In 2003, Emmanuel Roux joined the University Training and Research Center of Nîmes. Head of the law, economics and management division, deputy director responsible for administration and litigation, then vice-president in charge of administration and finance, Emmanuel Roux participated in transforming the Nîmes site into a full university. During this period, Emmanuel Roux also practiced law specializing in public law.

In 2010, the Ministry of Higher Education entrusted him with a mission to support the creation of a university center in Mayotte. Emmanuel Roux became its interim administrator between 2011 and 2012.

Elected president of the University of Nîmes in 2012, then reelected in 2016, Emmanuel Roux also served as interim administrator of the Comue Languedoc-Roussillon Universités between 2015 and 2016. At the national level, Emmanuel Roux chaired the legal commission of the Conference of University Presidents, which became France Universités, from 2014 to 2019.

In 2019, Emmanuel Roux joined the Court of Auditors as counsel in extraordinary service. In January 2023, Emmanuel Roux joined the cabinet of the Minister of Higher Education and Research, Sylvie Retailleau, as adviser for institutional and territorial affairs. Until this appointment in Nice, Emmanuel Roux held the position of delegate rector for higher education, research and innovation of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine academic region, in Bordeaux.

Knight of the National Order of Merit and Knight of Academic Palms, Emmanuel Roux will officially take the helm of the Nice academy on August 3 next with the mission of preparing the 2026-2027 school year in establishments in the Alpes-Maritimes and Var departments.