The University of Geneva’s and the allied Institute of International Studies have decided not to renew the contract with the former President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso, which anyway expires at the end of 2016.
The reason is Barroso's new job at Goldman Sachs. The former Portuguese prime minister was a visiting professor at the prestigious higher education institute, where he had studied and worked in the 1980s.
Since May 2015, Barroso has been lecturing on European policies but his highly paid and highly controversial July appointment to the chairmanship of Goldman Sachs International has enraged Swiss academia so much that they publically are severing links with the Portuguese national.
The former "student prodigy" had joined a US investment bank that is considered one of the leaders of the 2008 financial crisis.
A long-term friend of Barroso, Dusan Sidjanski, now in his 90s, commented, “I have cut all ties with him," after writing a letter saying that Barroso’s connection to Goldman Sachs was a "stain on Europe" and "on his family.”
The diplomatic vice-rector of the University, Jacques Werra, sent a letter of thanks to Durão Barroso informing him of the non-renewal of his prestigous contract.
"He fulfilled his mandate completely," says the tactful official, not commenting, however, whether this decision was related to Goldman Sachs - "It's a theoretical matter since his mandate was not expected to go beyond 2016."
According to the Swiss newspapers, the feeling of betrayal is widespread in the academic world. Before announcing his hiring by the US bank, Barroso hinted to the University that he would have less time available, as he was going to work for “a large entity” and one that would not please them when they found out which one it was.
