The Vice Chancellor of the University of Notre Dame has stood down early in a bid to replace former foreign minister Julie Bishop in the safe West Australian Liberal seat of Curtin.
Professor Celia Hammond was due to step down as Vice Chancellor later this year, but has brought forward her departure ahead of Liberal nominations for the Perth seat closing on Friday.
The university leader has spoken with party figures in recent days about running in the seat, the West Australian reported on Tuesday.
Prof Hammond has worked with University of Notre Dame since 1998, including as head of its law school.
She was previously a lawyer at a private practice in WA and a legal academic at other universities.
Her profile on the University of Notre Dame stressed she is passionate about Catholic higher education, including its "rigorous pursuit of truth and wisdom within a Catholic moral framework".
The nomination process for Curtin comes after Ms Bishop last week announced she would quit politics at the upcoming election.
Ms Bishop told parliament she had heard from some "extraordinary" women and men who could replace her in federal parliament.
