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Intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden was elected the new rector of Glasgow University on Tuesday. <\/p>\n
Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor whose revelations about UK and US surveillance practices have sparked controversy worldwide, beat out three other candidates for the three-year post. <\/p>\n
More from GlobalPost: 16 disturbing things Snowden has taught us (so far) <\/p>\n
He will succeed the Liberal Democrat's former leader Charles Kennedy. <\/p>\n
The rector is elected to represent students to senior management at the university, chairing the university's ruling court. <\/p>\n
Previous rectors have included Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordecai Vanunu and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. <\/p>\n
Other candidates for the post this year included cyclist Graeme Obree, author Alan Bissett and Scottish Episcopal clergyman Kelvin Holdsworth. <\/p>\n
More from GlobalPost: Norwegian politician nominates Edward Snowden for Nobel Peace Prize <\/p>\n
\"We're giving students a stage, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to voice their own discontent with mass surveillance. By electing Edward Snowden, we're sending a clear message, also to our government, that we will not allow this kind of surveillance,\"Lubna Nowak, a member of Snowden's campaign, told The Guardian. <\/p>\n
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