Ten years ago, on 13 February 2004, University of Luxembourg students and staff woke up to the tragic news that President François Tavenas had died suddenly in his sleep at the age of 61. In memory of his passing, we would like to take a moment to pay our respects to his achievements.

François Tavenas was the University of Luxembourg’s first ever president and played a pivotal role in getting the brand new institution off the ground. The fact that the University recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and could look back over a decade of growth and success, owes much to his initial leadership.

A renowned scholar, Professor Tavenas had a long and distinguished career as a professor and administrator which spanned Europe and Canada. Born in the Drôme in France, he received a degree in Civil Engineering from the National Institute of Applied Sciences in Lyon in 1963 and a Doctorate from the University of Grenoble. He went on the hold several senior positions at the University of Laval and McGill University in Canada before joining the University of Luxembourg in 2003.

He is sadly missed.