Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan who is currently imprisoned, is vying to become the next chancellor of the University of Oxford.
The Guardian reported that graduates and staff of the university will vote later this year to select a successor to Chris Patten, the former Conservative minister who currently holds the largely ceremonial role.
Khan, 71, has formally submitted his candidacy for the election scheduled for October, according to Syed Zulfi Bukhari, one of his advisers.
The former international cricket star led Pakistan as prime minister from 2018 until 2022, when he was ousted through a military-backed vote of no confidence in parliament. Khan has been in prison for the past year on various charges.
The election process for Oxford’s chancellor, which has traditionally required voters to be present in Oxford and clad in academic dress, has been modernized, allowing nominations and voting to be conducted online. This change is expected to benefit Khan’s candidacy.
Khan’s qualifications for the role include his eight-year tenure as chancellor of the University of Bradford and his academic background in politics, philosophy, and economics at Oxford’s Keble College during the 1970s. He is also celebrated for leading Pakistan’s cricket team to victory in the 1992 World Cup.
While the university has not yet confirmed individual candidates, a final list is expected to be published in early October. Among the other potential contenders are Elish Angiolini, the former lord advocate of Scotland and principal of St Hugh’s College, and Margaret Casely-Hayford, former chair of Shakespeare’s Globe, both of whom could become Oxford’s first female chancellor.
Supporters of Peter Mandelson, the former Labour minister, and William Hague, the former Conservative leader, have also expressed interest in the position.
Voting will take place online from October 28, with participation limited to Oxford graduates and members of the university’s congregation, including academic staff. Though the role of chancellor is non-executive, it carries significant responsibilities, including chairing the committee that appoints the vice-chancellor and overseeing fundraising and advocacy efforts.
Chris Patten, who has held the position since 2003, is the 159th individual to serve as Oxford’s chancellor, a role that has been filled by powerful political figures throughout history, including Robert Dudley, the first earl of Leicester, and Oliver Cromwell.
