Whistleblower Edward Snowden was officially named as the student rector of University of Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday.
For the next three years Snowden will represent the university's students, most probably through the Internet.
Snowden addressed the students through video in his inaugural function at the University's Bute Hall during the inaugural.
"I would say it is a great honor to be part of this today... we are learning the public feel something different," Snowden said, as quoted by Twitter channel of the university's Students' Representative Council (GUSRC).
"In a democracy people have a right to know the policies of their government...this idea that if we believe in something we should stand up for it is what I will follow in my role as Rector of the University," he added.
Now that he is elected as the rector, Snowden will have to take up a number of responsibilities. including attending the university court, working with the students' representative council and to bring student concerns to the attention of university management, according to BBC.
Other nominees for the rectorial post were cyclist Graeme Obree, author Alan Bissett and Scottish Episcopal clergyman Kelvin Holdsworth. In the first round he received 3,124 votes and 3,347 in the second, easily defeating Holdsworth, who received 1,563 votes.
The 30-year-old whistleblower is under temporary asylum in Russia. He is wanted on spying charges in the U.S. for making the country's confidential information public.
In February it was revealed that a NSA civilian employee helped Snowden to get access to classified documents of the security organisation.
