Sources say that Head of Department for European and comparative law, Professor Peter G Xuereb, has been mentioned as a possible candidate up for nomination as Rector at the University of Malta (UOM).

After being contacted by The Malta Independent, Professor Xuereb said that this has caused him “to consider [his] position.”

Professor Xuereb has been at UOM since 1993 as Professor of European and Comparative Law. He is currently chairman of the board for the Institute for European Studies and President of the Malta European Law Studies Association.

The post is not new to the family, with his father, Professor George P Xuereb having filled the post between 1982 and 1987. His father was a Professor of pathology and the former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. Professor of Biochemistry Angela Xuereb is married to the possible contender, who is a senior scientist and also the current Dean of the Faculty of Health Scientists, the second largest faculty at UOM.

In addition to this, Professor Peter Xuereb has worked and lectured in various universities around the world such as in France, Germany, the USA, the UK, Belgium and Italy. He was also a senior lecturer at the University of London. He completed his Ph.D. in 1983 at the University of Cambridge.

Sources close to this newsroom have also mentioned Professor John P Portelli as a possible candidate up for nomination. He is currently a professor at the department of social justice education and the department of leadership at the University of Toronto, Canada.

Professor Portelli could not confirm nor deny to this newsroom that he is aware of his name being mentioned as a possible nomination or whether he would consider the post.

Asked whether he would be contesting the post, Professor Portelli said “It is only council members who can nominate candidates for Rector.”

He completed a B.A. at UOM in Philosophy and Maltese in 1975 and also briefly lectured there between 1980-82. Professor Portelli obtained an M.A. in 1979 and a Ph.D. in 1984. Professor Porteli has been a member of the Board of the National Commission for Higher Education of Malta since 2006 and is also a visiting lecturer at the UOM.

The procedure for electing a new University Rector began last week, with the Council of UOM meeting to discuss the candidates for the upcoming election. Nominations may only be put forward by the 32 members of the council.

The incumbent Juanito Camilleri’s second five-year term expires at the end of June. The election to replace him will be held on 18 March, however the new Rector would be taking office in July, after Professor Camilleri’s post expires.

A number of names have been rumoured as possible of contenders, with many considering Chemistry expert Professor Alfred Vella as the frontrunner. The deans of all university faculties, otherwise known as the College of Deans have expressed their support for Professor Vella.

His main contender is Professor of Sociology Godfrey Baldacchino who is also board chairman of the Centre for Labour Studies.

Other names who have surfaced but have either dropped out of the race or expressed no intention of contesting the post are Associate Professor Tanya Mifsud Bonnici and Enterprise Chairman Mario Vella, who lectures at the University.

Pharmacy lecturer Lilian Wismayer has also been mentioned, however attempts by this newsroom to contact her have so far been unsuccessful.