Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton has been appointed chancellor of Queen’s University in Belfast, a largely ceremonial role in which she is expected to serve through early 2025.

“It’s my great privilege to become @QUBelfast‘s 11th — and first female — chancellor,” Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, said in a tweet Thursday morning. “It’s a place I have great fondness for and have grown a strong relationship with over the years, and I’m proud to be an ambassador for its excellence.”

According to the university, the role includes three main duties: presiding at degree ceremonies, serving as an ambassador for the school and advising its leadership.

Stephen Prenter, the university’s pro-chancellor and chair of its governing body, welcomed the news of Clinton’s appointment.

“Secretary Clinton has made a considerable contribution to Northern Ireland and as an internationally recognised leader will be an incredible advocate for Queen’s and an inspirational role model for the Queen’s community,” he said in a statement.

Queen’s University has long-standing ties to Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton.

The school awarded Hillary Clinton an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in October 2018 and has established a “Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for Peace and Reconciliation,” which the university describes as a full scholarship awarded each year to an “exceptional female student from the USA who wishes to pursue study in a field related to politics, conflict transformation or human rights.”

In 2011, it also established the William J. Clinton Leadership Institute, which offers courses for current and aspiring business leaders.

Northern Ireland featured prominently in Hillary Clinton’s time as first lady in the 1990s and later was part of her last overseas trip as secretary of state.

While Hillary Clinton did not play a direct role in fostering the 1998 Good Friday accord that eased the decades-long sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland, she has garnered awards for her work in helping to solidify support for the reconciliation effort.

Anne Gearan contributed to this report.