Source: University of Kent

Three candidates are in the running to become the next president of Universities UK, representing the sector in talks with the government.

The candidates are Simon Gaskell, principal of Queen Mary University of London; Dame Julia Goodfellow, vice-chancellor of the University of Kent; and Colin Riordan, vice-chancellor of Cardiff University.

The winner will succeed Sir Christopher Snowden, the vice-chancellor of the University of Surrey, whose two-year term will finish at the end of July 2015.

The election has already gone to ballot and the results are scheduled to be announced on November. UUK confirmed the list of candidates.

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If Dame Julia were to be successful, she would be the first woman to lead the organisation in its near 100-year history. The organisation was founded as the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom?in 1918.

Dame Julia is also the only candidate from a university outside the Russell Group.

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UUK describes itself as ¡°the definitive voice for universities in the UK¡± and as providing ¡°high quality leadership and support to our members, to promote a successful and diverse ÖйúAƬ sector¡±.

One of the president¡¯s key roles is to represent the sector in talks with the government on policy and funding.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com