Former senior European Union official and rector of the College of Europe, Federica Mogherini, resigned from her academic position after the European Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation against her.
"In accordance with the utmost rigor and fairness with which I have always carried out my duties, I have decided today to resign from the position of rector," Mogherini said, following the meeting of the College's Executive Board on Thursday.
The statement comes a day after senior EU official Stefano Sannino, who is also under investigation, said he would step down at the end of December. He is the head of the Commission's Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf.
The investigation, led by the EU prosecutor, focuses on a one-year contract awarded to the College of Europe as part of a tender to launch a new academy to train young national diplomats and EU civil servants for future roles in representing Europe abroad.
Prosecutors suspect that, between 2021 and 2022, the College and the EU diplomatic service may have colluded to improperly direct EU funds to the project, including informing the College in advance about the tender. The tender is officially open to universities across Europe.
Mogherini remains innocent as the investigation continues.
"I have full confidence in the judicial system and believe that the correctness of the Collegium's procedure will be established," Mogherini said in a statement after being released from detention, adding that she would offer full cooperation to the authorities.
Mogherini has been rector of the College of Europe since 2020, overseeing campuses in Bruges, Warsaw and Tirana. She also took on the role of director of the Diplomatic Academy in 2022, a position that EU governments made permanent in 2024, funding it with 1.7 million euros a year.
Mogherini previously led the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.