If you've ever fancied becoming head of an Irish university and you're suitably qualified, you'll probably never have a better chance. Within the next 18 months, three of the seven heads of Irish universities are stepping down.

Dr Ed Walsh, president of UL has already handed in his notice. His replacement is expected to take over in the 1998/99 academic year. Prof Pat Fotrell, president of UCG, will complete his term of office at the end of the 1997/98 academic year and UCC's president, Dr Michael Mortell, is due to retire in January 1999.

Now that the universities have shed their ivory tower images, these jobs are likely to require a wider range of abilities and aptitudes than they may have in the past. "The position of president has expanded enormously," comments one third-level source. "The university's role is far more significant now than it was 20 years ago. It has become a partner in the economic development of the country. Developments in the next 10 years will be even more significant."

Nowadays university heads need to combine good academic track records with vision and good management abilities. "It's no longer enough to be a good academic," says a source. "In order to succeed you have to have a proven record in organisation at executive level and have the ability to protect the interests of the institution in the outside world."

Increasingly, too, third-level heads need excellent fund-raising abilities. Colleges can no longer rely solely on government funding. In its pre-election position paper, for example, Fianna Fail notes that "investment in our third-level colleges is based on a partnership between the public and the private sectors." This trend is likely to increase in the future.

All new appointments will be made under the terms of the Universities Act which was passed earlier this year. This limits the term of office to 10 years and requires universities heads to retire at the age of 65. Both TCD and the NUI colleges have operated a 10-year rule for some time, but Walsh of UL and DCU's Dr Danny O'Hare were appointed to their jobs until they reached retirement age, so the 10-year rule will apply only to their successors. The fact that Walsh is now stepping down makes O'Hare, appointed in 1977, the longest serving university head in the country.

At UL, appointing a new president will be a new experience. It will be, a source stresses, "a selection not an election. We will have a search process, a shortlisting process and an interview process." It is understood that the governing body will conduct the search, shortlist and interview - with the help of outside experts.

The appointment will be made by the governing body. Staff involvement in the process will be limited to those members who have seats on the governing body. A new governing body is due to be appointed at the end of this year. In accordance with the terms of the Universities Act, the body will include 10 staff and two student members. Because there's no election process involved in the appointment of a UL president, campus speculation about candidates is reduced to a minimum.

"There are no obvious frontrunners," says an academic staff member. "There's no canvassing, so people aren't coming forward." However, names are being mentioned. These include three department heads - Prof Kevin Ryan, dean of the college of infomatics and electronics; Prof Eamonn McQuade, dean of the college of engineering and Prof Stuart Hampshire, dean of research.

In some quarters, however, it's believed that the governing body is likely to go for an outsider and possibly a woman. In this context, Prof Mary McAleese, vice-chancellor of Queen's University, Belfast, and Prof Joyce O'Connor, a former UL professor and now president of the National College of Industrial Relations, Dublin, are being mentioned - that is, if McAleese does not become President of Ireland.

Speculation on the presidential succession is hotting up in UCC. But whether the appointment of a new head will involve an election has yet to be decided. Changes caused by the Universities Act mean that the governing body will determine appointment procedures. For the first time, as a result of the new Act, the governing body will make the final appointment. Previously this was the job of the NUI.

Names being mentioned include Prof Joe Lee, college registrar Dr Aidan Moran, Prof Gerard Wrixon who is head of the National Microelectronics Research Centre and college vicepresident Prof Denis Lucey.

Although Prof Pat Fotrell, UCG's president, was appointed only in July 1996, he reaches retirment age next year and is due to retire at the end of this academic year (1998). Fotrell, who cuts a youthful figure, has recently launched a £24 million strategic plan for the development of the university to the year 2006.

Privately, supporters are saying that he should be allowed to stay on for a longer period in order to implement this plan. Under the terms of the Act, however, it's doubtful whether this would be allowed. Possible successors include UCG's bursar Mary Dooley, registrar Prof Mathew McCarthy and professor of history Gearoid O Tuathaigh.

Meanwhile, UCG has set up a working party to re-evaluate all aspects of the appointments process, according to a college spokesperson.