LONDON – Lord William Hague has been elected as the next Chancellor of University of Oxford, having won a majority of support in the final round of voting for the post.
Lord Hague will be formally inaugurated as Chancellor early in the New Year and serve for a term of 10 years. He becomes the 160th recorded Chancellor in the University’s history, a role that dates back at least 800 years, said the university in an official statement.
Lord Hague, the Chancellor-elect, said: “Thank you to my fellow Oxonians for placing such confidence in me. I regard being elected as the Chancellor of our university as the greatest honour of my life. I pay tribute to the other candidates, in particular for their commitment to the future of Oxford. What happens at Oxford in the next decade is critical to the success of the UK. I look forward to working closely with the Vice-Chancellor and her team, along with students and alumni, to build on their excellent work. My heart and soul are in Oxford and I will dedicate myself in the coming years to serving the university I love.”
Professor Irene Tracey CBE, FRS, FMedSci, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, said: ‘I am delighted to welcome Lord Hague back to Oxford as its 160th Chancellor. On behalf of the entire University community, I heartily congratulate him on being elected. I would like to extend my gratitude to the four unsuccessful candidates for their dedication and willingness to serve”.
William Hague graduated from Magdalen College, Oxford in 1982. He has always said that Oxford transformed his life, arriving from a comprehensive school in South Yorkshire to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He was President of the Oxford Union.
In the late 1980s, William was heavily involved in designing the Campaign for Oxford, the first part of the university’s development and fundraising efforts that have been highly successful over the last few decades. As an honorary fellow of Magdalen, he has given lectures and seminars for many years.
William is best known for his political career, particularly his time as leader of the Conservative Party (1997-2001) and Foreign Secretary (2010-2014). He also served as Secretary of State for Wales, Leader of the House of Commons, and Minister for Disabled People, in which role he was the author of the Disability Discrimination Act. He spent 26 years as the MP for Richmond, Yorkshire.
Since leaving government, William has divided his time between business, charity and writing. He is a columnist of The Times, has written two historical biographies and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
In the first round of the Chancellor election, 23,008 members of Convocation cast their votes for 38 candidates. Lord Hague secured the nomination after the second round of voting for a final list of five candidates, using the Alternative Vote system.
