Channel 4 news presenter Jon Snow was officially made Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University at an inauguration ceremony yesterday.

He is the university's second chancellor, taking over from Baroness Helena Kennedy, who is retiring after seven years. Lady Kennedy received an honorary degree from Brookes at the same ceremony.

Jon Snow Mr Snow said: "I was absolutely amazed to be asked. I am not an academically gifted character, but I am very honoured to be made chancellor.

"The role is one of a figurehead, but I hope to be accessible to students and staff and want to put my shoulder to the Oxford Brookes' wheel to promote its work."

The appointment brings the broadcaster back to Oxford, where he attended St Edward's School, in Woodstock Road, as a music scholar from the age of 13 to 18.

Mr Snow already has links with Brookes as patron of the university's dementia centre. He has a personal interest in the centre's work. His mother died of Alzheimer's disease at a nursing home in Deddington.

He has a keen interest in overseas development and is set to meet academics at the Brookes Centre for Emergency and Development Practice next week.

His appointment comes in the same week as Oxford Brookes was named as Best New University in Britain by The Sunday Times' university guide.

Mr Snow's career began as a reporter for LBC in London. After a year, he was head-hunted by ITN.

He has been chief presenter of Channel 4 News since 1989 and has won Royal Television Society awards for his reporting in Eritrea, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and El Salvador.

In his previous post as diplomatic editor at ITN, he reported on Nelson Mandela's release from prison and the collapse of the Berlin Wall.

Mr Snow, who lives and works in London, said he was looking forward to being able to escape to Oxford.