The word rector ("ruler," from the Latin regere and Rector meaning "Teacher" In Latin) has a number of different meanings, but all of them indicate an academic, religious or political administrator.

The word "rector" also appears in many modern languages, such as Dutch, Spanish, Catalan-Valencian and Romanian. In Bulgarian, Czech, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Danish, German, Hungarian, Hebrew, Icelandic, Macedonian, Norwegian, Swedish, Indonesian and Tagalog, the homophonous spelling is Rektor. Other languages use derivative forms, e.g. Rettore in Italian, Reitor in Portuguese, and Rehtori in Finnish.

The term and office of a rector are called a rectorate.

"Rector" is also a surname in English-speaking countries.

Academic rectors

The Rector is the highest academic official of many universities and certain other institutions of higher, sometimes even secondary, education.

The title is used widely in universities across Europe, including Albania, the Benelux, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, the Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, Scotland, Serbia, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine. It is also very common in Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela, and also in Philippines, Indonesia and Israel. At some universities it is phrased in a loftier manner, as Rector Magnificus or Lord Rector.

A notable exception to this terminology was England, where universities were traditionally headed by a "Chancellor", and this designation followed in the Commonwealth, USA and other countries under Anglo-Saxon influence. Scotland follows suit in this practice, with the ancient universities being headed by a Chancellor, with the Lord Rector as an elected representative of students heading the university court.

Scotland

main: Ancient university governance in Scotland In Scotland, the position of Rector exists in the four ancient universities (St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh) and at Dundee.

The post (officially Lord Rector, but by normal use Rector alone) was made an integral part of these universities by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889. The nominal head of an ancient university in Scotland is its Chancellor and the day-to-day functions of the chief executive is vested in the Vice-Chancellor who also holds the title of Principal. The Rector is the third ranked official of university governance and chairs meetings of the University Court, the governing body of the university, and is elected at regular intervals (usually three years to enable every undergraduate completing a degree to vote at least once) by their matriculated student bodies.