19 October 2026

Dr Kathleen O’Connor, Vice-President for Europe and International Relations at the University of Lille, France, has been elected the new President of SGroup – Universities in Europe.

Her election marks a new chapter for the network and its continued commitment to international cooperation and collaboration in higher education.

Kathleen has been involved in SGroup’s leadership since 2022, serving on the Executive Committee from 2022 to 2025 and as Vice-President of the Executive Committee from 2025 to 2026. Throughout this time, she has contributed to the network’s strategic development and international cooperation activities.

At the University of Lille, Kathleen has held several leadership positions in international relations and institutional cooperation. These include Vice-President for International Relations (2016–2017 and 2021), Deputy Vice-President for International Relations (2018–2021), and Vice-President for International and European Networks (2022–2023). Since 2025, she has served as Vice-President for Europe and International Relations. She was also Director of the University of Lille Language Center from 2023 to 2025 and Coordinator for International Development at I-SITE Université Lille Nord-Europe from 2017 to 2021.

Alongside her administrative responsibilities, Kathleen is an Associate Professor of English Linguistics at the University of Lille, a position she has held since 2009. Her academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts in French from Washington and Lee University, two Master’s degrees from Indiana University — in French Literature and French Linguistics — and a Doctorate in English Linguistics from the University of Lille, completed in 2008.

SGroup extends its heartfelt congratulations to Dr Kathleen O’Connor on her election as President and looks forward to an exciting new chapter of collaboration and shared achievements under her leadership. 

Congratulations, Kathleen!