He succeeds Professor Bernard King of Abertay, who held the post of Universities Scotland Convener, adjudged by some as an outspoken postholder. King was forced to step aside when suspended from his job at Abertay Unniversity in January and while that dispute has now been settled, he is  retired.

Commenting on his appointment, Professor McDaid said: "The next few years are set to be very challenging for universities but  I take on this role with confidence and ambition for the sector's future. We are very fortunate in Scotland that the public, Parliament and Government place such value on higher education and we take confidence from the robust assurances, given by Government, to protect the quality of teaching and research in our universities.


"Over the last year, Universities Scotland has taken a very proactive approach to working in closer partnership across the sector and with other stakeholders including schools, colleges and business. This is something I am keen to take forward to ensure that we make the fullest contribution to Scotland's economy, society and culture."

Professor Seamus McDaid is a footballer and badmington player. He was educated at St Mungo's Academy, then Glasgow and subsequently Strathclyde Universities. He worked for Coopers & Lybrand, prior to joining Glasgow College as a lecturer in 1976, moving to senior lecturer, then Head of the Department of Finance and Accounting, becoming Dean of the Faculty of Business at Glasgow Caledonian University.

He was Vice Principal, University of Paisley, since 1997 becoming Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of the West of Scotland after the merger of Paisley University with Bell College in 2007.