US whistleblower Edward Snowden has condemned controversial proposals to change the way Scottish universities are run.

The computer analyst, who is currently rector of Glasgow University, described plans by the Scottish Government as "a real threat" to the autonomy of the sector.

Speaking at the university via a video link from Moscow to incoming students Snowden said: "More than anything else..... it will dilute the student and university voice in determining your own government, how you want to be ruled, how you want to be represented on the most senior bodies.

"This means ancient universities could lose their position of rector entirely. Beyond that it means things like the buildings that you work in, the funding you can generate through grants and charitable status could be lost entirely.

"While this may seem a little political for people who have just arrived in the university, what you need to think about is this is a decision - if you don’t participate in it - you will lose influence you once had, you will lose rights you once had, you will lose representation you once had that you will never be able to receive again."

The Higher Education Governance Bill, which is currently going through Holyrood, includes proposals to appoint trade union members to universities' ruling Courts for the first time and make the powerful post of Court chair elected - potentially ending the historic role of rector.

Because the appointment and election of governing body chairs will be made through ministerial regulations universities believe that will threaten their autonomy.

Senior administrators also fear the new measures will lead universities to be reclassified as public bodies which would end their status as charities and damage their ability to raise money.

Liam King, president of Glasgow University's Students Representative Council, welcomed Mr Snowden’s intervention stating: "The proposals in the Bill are a massive overreach of central government and entirely unnecessary.

"The Bill is regressive and represents nothing less than a land grab by a centralising government which demonstrates little understanding of the diversity of higher education in Scotland, but most crucially it would end the influential position of rector as we know it."

However, the Scottish Government has always denied that ministers wanted to control universities and said officials were confident the new arrangements would not run foul of charities legislation or new European rules on public bodies.

A spokeswoman said recently: "There is no intention for the Scottish Government to have any involvement in the appointment process for the position of chair at any institution, so any suggestion of us exerting greater direct control over the sector is just wrong.

"The Bill simply aims to improve governance by enabling our higher education institutions to embrace greater transparency and inclusivity in their governance arrangements."

Mr Snowden became a wanted man when his leaks brought to light secret National Security Agency documents which revealed widespread US surveillance of phone and internet communications.