OXFORD University has revealed the man set to become its next Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Andrew Hamilton, the current provost of Yale University, will take over the role vacated by Dr John Hood.

His appointment as Vice-Chancellor, which is subject to approval by the University's Congregation (or 'parliament of dons'), will begin on October 1, 2009, following Dr Hood's five-year term of office.

Prof Hamilton said of his nomination: "Oxford is one of the world's greatest universities and the invitation to serve as its Vice-Chancellor is an inspiring and humbling one. In due course and with the support and help of colleagues in every part of the collegiate University, I shall seek to play my part in ensuring that Oxford's outstanding reputation as a pre-eminent centre of teaching, learning and research is safeguarded and enhanced for generations to come.

"My years at Yale have been richly rewarding and my excitement over the challenges ahead is inevitably tinged with sadness at having to leave such great friends and colleagues behind."

The Chancellor of Oxford University, Lord Patten of Barnes, who chaired the Nominating Committee, said: "Andrew Hamilton's remarkable combination of proven academic leadership and outstanding scholarly achievement makes him an exceptional choice to help guide us into the second decade of the twenty-first century. This is a particularly exciting time for Oxford and in Professor Hamilton we have someone with the experience and talent to help us take advantage of these opportunities."

The current Vice-Chancellor, Dr John Hood, said: "I am delighted that Professor Hamilton has been nominated as the next Vice-Chancellor of Oxford, from Autumn 2009. I look forward very much to assisting him in any way I can to prepare for his new role. For my own part, I shall remain fully committed over the next sixteen months to the University it is my privilege to serve."

The President of Yale, Richard Levin, said: "Andy Hamilton has led major initiatives to strengthen Yale in science, engineering, and medicine while at the same time enthusiastically supporting investments in the humanities, social sciences, and the arts. He is a first-rate scholar, who is respected by his faculty colleagues as a wise academic leader."