Over two dozen complaints about university workplace culture since 2020

The University of Luxembourg has recorded 27 complaints and reports related to issues such as workplace harassment and discrimination in the period from 2020 to 2025, according to data released on Friday.

It comes as the workplace conditions at Luxembourg’s only public university have drawn increased public attention, including allegations of poor management practices and concerns raised about internal procedures.

The university leadership has rejected claims of systemic issues, saying existing support structures and reporting channels are functioning and regularly strengthened.

The figures, which also include complaints or reports about workplace conflicts or alleged breaches of procedure between 2020 and 2025, were released on Friday by Higher Education Minister Stéphanie Obertin in response to a written parliamentary question.

Obertin was responding to a question tabled last month by DP deputy Françoise Kem, who had requested detailed information on workplace disputes, staff turnover and lessons learned from legal rulings against the institution, following media reports about workplace culture, and a demonstration outside the Chamber of Deputies in September.

University staffing had increased from an average of 2,110 employees in 2020 to 2,687 this year, Obertin said.

Over the six-year period, 69 people retired, 163 left voluntarily and 50 were dismissed.

Thirty additional departures were due to automatic contract terminations, including non-renewal of residence permits or as the outcome of a negative evaluation by a thesis review committee.

Dismissals challenged in court

Four of the 50 dismissals were challenged in court, with two resulting in rulings against the university, the higher education minister said.

“The analysis of this situation has highlighted the need to strengthen the formalisation of the facts alleged against employees and to improve the quality and completeness of the documentation underpinning dismissal files,” Obertin wrote.

During a November press conference, Rector Jens Kreisel defended the institution’s internal climate and oversight mechanisms, saying he had not identified systemic harassment and stressing that most cases were resolved informally.

Kreisel told reporters that “among 10,000 people, there will always be three or four who are frustrated,” while head of human resources Claire Audollent confirmed that over the past six years the institution had been involved in fewer than five formal labour disputes. She declined to disclose the exact number or provide additional information on the cases.

In her written reply on Friday, Obertin said that the university is continuing to tighten internal monitoring processes, “particularly regarding traceability and the preparation of potential disciplinary decisions.”