Manchester University graduate Oliver Worth has been elected chair of the World Union of Jewish Students.
He won with 68 per cent of the votes after facing competition from four other students.
Founded in 1924, the WUJS brings together Jewish student leaders from around the world to tackle problems they face globally.
Oliver was elected at the annual WUJS conference held in Jerusalem last month. The event attracted 150 Jewish students. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat spoke at the conference.
The new chair has quit a Masters degree in international law to take up the full-time position. He said that he had "a vision for what the WUJS could do".
Nottingham-born Oliver, 22, said he hopes to make WUJS more "effective, direct, practical and relevant".
He will work to bring together the 48 unions of Jewish students, and is planning the first conference of union presidents, to be held later this year in Greece.
Oliver, a member of Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation in Glasgow, was supported by 20 UJS activists who were in Israel for the annual UJS Manhigut trip.
UJS chair Alex Dwek said: "I'm delighted we have a British student as the representative of all the Jewish students across the world."
The two-year chair's role was previously filled by Albert Einstein, Chaim Herzog and Amos Oz.
