Oxford's oldest student newspaper

Independent since 1920

Hope Philpott

Rubbish representation in schools, syllabuses and beyond

But it’s not good enough to leave it to often privileged tutors, canon-compilers and Education Secretaries to dictate which texts we study. Time and time again, they have failed to achieve even the remotest degree of representation, a damning outcome in a subject which is so linked to identity and the self. The texts we study at school and beyond should be chosen and shaped by the diverse populations reading them.

Christ Church buys back book donated in 1587

Christ Church has re-purchased a book that its students clubbed together to buy for the college in 1587. The 1570 edition of Euclid’s The...

Balliol names building after first Oxford DPhil student

Balliol College has named a new building after Dr Lakshman Sarup (1894–1946), the first student at Oxford to submit for a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree. Sarup was awarded the degree by Balliol in 1919 on the topic of Yaska’s Nirukta, the oldest Sanskrit treatise on etymology. Oxford began offering the DPhil degree in 1917, taking inspiration from research degrees in Germany, and Dr Sarup was one of two students to enrol for a doctoral degree in its inaugural year, the other being New Zealander James Gatenby.

Universities cut History courses generating concern over elitism in the field

Aston University in Birmingham and London South Bank University have announced plans to cut History courses. Aston University plans to close its entire History,...

Oxford academics awarded prominent EU research grants

The four Oxford winners are among 51 UK grant recipients, a total surpassing that of any other country. UK researchers qualify for the grants because the UK is an “associated country” to the ERC under the Horizon Europe scheme. Writing on their website, the ERC describes the research as “for the benefit of all EU citizens”. The ERC further noted the importance of strong UK-EU ties, and told Cherwell “up to half” of those ERC Starting Grants in the UK are EU nationals.

Magdalen College reopens to tourists despite delayed student returns

Magdalen College, Oxford has reopened to tourists, despite the fact that not all students will return to the college grounds until mid-May. Under current government...