The College of Europe is hiring a new rector because the former holder of that role, Federica Mogherini, resigned after being mired in scandal earlier this month.

In a vacancy notice posted Monday, the college said it’s accepting applications until March 2, with the new rector to start from June 2026 or soon after.

The rector “holds the overall academic and administrative responsibility for the College as a whole,” the notice said.  

Candidates must be European nationals, show “important academic qualities” and have management experience, as well as speaking English and French.

“In executing their responsibilities, the Rector will live up to the high ethical standards and values of the College of Europe,” the notice said.

The elite training ground for future EU civil servants may be hoping for a quieter selection process than last time around, when Mogherini, the EU’s former top diplomat, won the job even though she applied after the deadline and despite accusations of cronyism and not being qualified for the role.

Mogherini resigned in early December after being questioned in a fraud probe over a public tender in 2021-22 for a diplomatic academy program.

Mogherini’s former employer, the European External Action Service (EEAS), awarded the tender to the College of Europe, and Mogherini became the director of the diplomatic academy in addition to her job as rector of the college. The scandal also took down the former top civil servant at the EEAS, Stefano Sannino.

The college has named Ewa Ośniecka-Tamecka as acting rector until a replacement for Mogherini is found.

The rector’s job is for a term of five years and can be renewed once. The person will report to former European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, who is the head of the college’s administrative council.