An Interview with Dr Arthur Bernhoff: From the Ministry of Defence to the Streets of St Andrews
The Rectorial Elections held in October were, for the first time in a long time, a much talked about event in university life. The otherwise oft-ignored event that takes place every three years was particularly tense this year because of the University’s decision to not allow the incumbent Stella Maris to stand again. The 2026 election was characterised by calls for a reopening of nominations, so that Stella Maris who was barred from rerunning could protest against this ban. Although the talk of the town seemed to have been the nomination of Brian Baumgartner, best known for his role as Kevin in the US edition of The Office, it was Dr Arthur Bernhoff who was ultimately elected as the 56th Rector of the University of St Andrews.
Dr Arthur Bernhoff completed his PhD in International Relations at St Andrews, and has since worked in areas across law, international affairs, and consulting. He currently holds the role of analyst at the Ministry of Defence.
The Stand was able to get in contact with Dr Bernhoff, and despite his busy schedule, he took the time to answer questions about his new role, ahead of him starting on the 1st of November 2026.
To start, I asked him what his favourite coffee shop in St. Andrews is, and surprisingly his answer was Starbucks — a “little taste of home, wherever I happen to be.” However, for meeting a friend or colleague for a chat, his choice would be the SPACE cafe on South Street.
After getting the important question out of the way, we turned to equally pressing matters. The turnout of the 2026 Rectorial Election, which was close to a 45% turnout, almost double that of 2023, with the university calling it the biggest response to a Rector’s election in recent history. When asked why he thinks the turnout was so high, Dr Bernhoff points to an increased awareness of the election and encouragement of students to take an interest, both by the Student Union and the campaigns of candidates themselves. He personally takes some credit for that — “For several weeks before I had even decided whether to stand, I was reaching out to student bodies, clubs, societies, academic schools, halls of residence and senior students. I wanted to understand how the student experience had changed since I studied at St Andrews, what issues mattered most to students today," he said. By raising awareness of what the Rector actually does, he hoped that those early meetings and conversations encouraged students to take an interest.
Bernhoff also acknowledged the considerable attention attracted by candidates Brian Baumgartner and Dr Q Mannivan, a sitting MSP, saying how it helped to generate curiosity and encourage students to vote. However, he notes that there is “an important distinction between attracting attention to an election and persuading students to engage with it. For my part, I tried to be as visible and accessible as possible […] I believe that personal engagement made a difference.”
The challenge now, he says, is making sure that engagement does not end with the campaign. Dr Bernhoff plans to hold regular in-person surgeries, town-hall style meetings, and continued updates through social media. He commented: “I don’t want students to hear from their Rector only when there’s an election or a controversy.”
That ambition will be tested at University Court, where the Rector sits as President. Dr Bernhoff does not see representing students and serving on Court as contradictory, and points out that the Rector is just one member with one vote. Effective representation, he argues, “requires more than simply expressing a position publicly.” It means building relationships and working constructively with people who hold very different views. A Rector’s effectiveness, he says, should be measured “not by how often they make headlines, but by what they actually accomplish for students.”
When asked about the biggest issues students face now, Dr Bernhoff names housing, the cost of living, mental health support, and the University’s policy on AI, which he notes will be his priorities. Whilst he was cautious about promising solutions before he took on his role, he admits he has “ambitious ideas, but I want them to be achievable.” Housing sits near the top of his list, and he wants to examine accommodation provision, operating costs and budgets, before judging what could be done to make rents more affordable and predictable. Importantly, he also emphasises the need for a greater focus on diversity and inclusion, with an end to the discrimination faced by students.
With refreshing honesty, Dr Bernhoff is frank about the limits of the office. The Rector cannot set accommodation fees, change academic policy, or direct university services. What he can do is listen, help students navigate decision-making structures, bring concerns to leadership, push for policy reviews, and raise matters at court.
When asked about how his career in security and conflict resolution will shape his approach, Dr Bernhoff says it has taught him that even complicated disputes can be broken down into manageable parts, and that people’s stated positions often vary from their underlying interests. His time with the OSCE in Ukraine reinforced the value of impartiality. He stresses that he must represent all of St Andrews’ 10,000 plus students, “not simply those whose views I happen to share.” He believes the University should remain institutionally impartial on political matters outside its educational and charitable remit, whilst remaining a place where ideas can be freely debated.
Finally, Dr Bernhoff is most excited about building relationships between students and the University, and about making the Rector a substantive role rather than a ceremonial one. His biggest worry is how long meaningful change takes, since students are here for only a short time. If he could, he would resolve every issue within a year so that those who voted could see the results before graduating. He knows that is unrealistic, but says it is what motivates him to leave the University “in a better position than I found it.”
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