2025 University of Cambridge Chancellor election

All candidates required 50 nominations by 2 May. Ten confirmed candidates were announced by the University on 28 May, listed below in alphabetical order:^[15][16][17]

• Ayham Ammora — former oil executive
• Ali Azeem — former Treasury adviser and Conservative parliamentary candidate
• Tony Booth — academic, Extinction Rebellion activist
• John Browne, Baron Browne of Madingley — former CEO of BP, crossbench peer
• Mohamed El-Erian — former CEO of PIMCO, President of Queens' College, Cambridge
• Neil Wyn Evans — Cambridge Professor of astrophysics
• Mark Mann — research consultant
• Gina Miller — businesswoman, anti-Brexit campaigner
• Chris Smith, Baron Smith of Finsbury — former Culture Secretary, Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge
• Sandi Toksvig — broadcaster and comedian; candidate in 2003 Oxford Chancellor election

In the period after nominations had formally opened, there was press speculation that a number of candidates could run, including Michael Portillo, James O'Shaughnessy, Baron O'Shaughnessy and broadcaster Emily Maitlis;^[18] but they all declined to run, with Maitlis instead publicly backing Mohamed El-Erian.^[19]

The Times Higher Education reported that there was no obvious front-runner in the contest, and noted that a number of Cambridge academics had expressed concerns about a television personality such as Sandi Toksvig taking the role previously held by Prime Ministers and Nobel Laureates. Toksvig's campaign launch provoked several responses focused on her stance on transgender issues. She was a co-founder of the Women's Equality Party, which supported gender self-identification, a policy on which universities were grappling following the UK Supreme Court ruling which found that 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 referred to "the sex of a person at birth".^[20] THE also reported that the other woman in the field – Gina Miller – had been tipped by some to win, partly on account of the goodwill among largely Remain-supporting Cambridge alumni over her high-profile campaign in 2019 to prevent Brexit.^[21]

The Cambridge student newspaper, Varsity, reported that one candidate, Gina Miller, had accused another, Chris Smith, of a "serious breach" of electoral guidelines for using the Cambridge University logo in his campaign material.^[22] Smith commented that he had been approached by another candidate earlier that week with the same concerns, and had asked "Cantabs for Chris" to "remove the University crest from their logo immediately".

Varsity also reported that more than 250 people, including a significant number of Cambridge academics, had signed an open letter opposing the candidacy of John Browne, because of his authorship of the Browne Review of Higher Education, which led to the introduction of a 'market-driven' model of university funding, and because of his career in the fossil fuel industry.^[23]

The journalist and commentator Adam Boulton considered that Mohamed El-Erian and Lord Browne were the two serious candidates worthy of consideration, and endorsed Lord Browne for the role.^[24]

Cambridge Students' Union released a set of pledges ahead of the election, outlining the expectations it holds for candidates seeking the role and covering key areas including widening access, ethical investments, and engaging with societies. Eight candidates responded to the SU's proposals, with Ali Azeem and Sandi Toksvig not submitting responses.^[25]

• List of chancellors of the University of Cambridge
• 2011 University of Cambridge Chancellor election
• 2024 University of Oxford Chancellor election
• 2026 University of St Andrews Chancellor election