Rector of the University of Aberdeen

The Lord Rector of the University of Aberdeen is the students' representative and chairperson in the University Court of the University of Aberdeen. The position is rarely known by its full title and most often referred to simply as "Rector". The rector is elected by students of the university and serves a three-year term. Although the position has existed since 1495, it was only officially made the students' representative in 1860.^[1]

The position exists in common throughout the ancient universities of Scotland with rectorships also in existence at the universities of St Andrews, Glasgow and Edinburgh. The newer University of Dundee has a rector due to its historical ties to St Andrews. The position is given legal standing by virtue of the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889 and is the third office of precedence in the university (following the chancellor and vice chancellor / principal). Rectors also appoint a rector's assessor, who may carry out their functions when they are absent from the university.

The 1996 election was historically unusual in that one of the two candidates (who lost by approximately 100 votes) had recently completed studies at the university, highlighting the fact that there is no rule preventing a member of the student body from standing for the post and that the trend for celebrity candidates might distance the office from the issues of student life.^[2] This situation recurred in 2018, when then-Rector, Maggie Chapman,^[3] won re-election against a challenger who was, at that time, studying law at the university.^[4]