Rector (academia)

A rector (Latin for "ruler") is a senior official in an educational institution, and can be an official in either a university or a secondary school. Outside the English-speaking world, the rector is often the most senior official in a university, while in the United States, the highest-ranking officer within a university's academic administration is often referred to as a chancellor or president. In the United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations, a university's chief executive is called vice-chancellor. The term and office of a rector can be referred to as a rectorate. The title is used widely in universities in Europe and is very common in Latin American countries. It is also used in Brunei, Macau, Pakistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Israel and the Middle East. In the ancient universities of Scotland, the rector, elected by students (and staff at Edinburgh), is formally the third most senior officer of the university and has been historically responsible for chairing the university court.