Tuesday 14th October 2025

Opinion

Outreach shouldn’t stop at Hadrian’s wall

In a Britain that claims to be a “United” Kingdom, having only two-dozen Scottish state schoolers at its best university does much to foster division.

The ‘S’ in ‘STEM’ stands for superiority complex

It’s high time we stopped arguing over which is more difficult, and instead started asking what STEM and the humanities can learn from each other.

Stop sneering at the staycation

If so much is available within the UK, what justification is there for an Oxford student to travel across the world?

The Encaenia is PR without the public (or anyone else)

Wholesale reform is the last thing Encaenia needs. If only people knew what it is, it would be a well-suited PR exercise for a modern Oxford.

A lacklustre budget for the young

For a budget involving tax rises worth £40bn, it’s pretty damning that Labour’s Autumn Budget can still be branded a ‘non-event’. However, this label...

Student support just isn’t good enough

As the air cools and college puffers become essential the darker days seem to match the mood. Week 5 of the Oxford cycle looms,...

Leave us alone, Donald

Electing a President in the United States is a global event. Why, though, is it so important? In the US, this election will significantly...

The Chancellorship is of no use

The first time I heard of the Chancellor was when he resigned. When researching for this article, my results were flooded with stories about...

New year, new detention centre

Half an hour north of central Oxford, you’ll find two disparate developments. On one side, Oxford’s new pride and joy: a £4 billion partnership...

Keep print alive in Oxford

I was lucky to spend a few weeks working with the Daily Mail this summer. Love them or hate them, one thing became increasingly...

Zumba and cinematographic innovation: The Oxford Chancellor statements you didn’t expect

As the election for Oxford University’s chancellorship closes its first round, all but five candidates will be eliminated. Here’s some highlights of candidate statements, from...

The Union needs to return to its senses

The Union has never been far from controversy, and this year is no change. Last term, questions emerged over the power of electoral officials....

For good free speech: Listen

Wherever you turn to in Oxford, the words ‘free speech’ or ‘freedom of expression’ never seem too far away. Following the disbandment of Oxford...

Interdisciplinary is the future

The University is waking up to the environmental, social, and geopolitical crises of our times – in one sense at least. The British higher...

Pensioner fuel cuts shouldn’t warm students’ hearts

Shortly after the 2024 election, the newly-elected government announced plans to means-test the Winter Fuel Allowance, a benefit previously given only to pensioners. Reactions...

Increasing tuition fees, increasing inequality

When writing this article, I logged in out of curiosity to see my student loan balance. I saw a pretty number: £44,644.18, with £1,463.44...

Margaret Casely-Hayford: Why I should be Chancellor

Dr Margaret Casely-Hayford is a lawyer and businesswoman who previously served as Chancellor of Coventry University. She is a Board member of the Co-op...

Dominic Grieve: Why I should be Chancellor

Rt Hon Dominic Grieve KC has served as Shadow Home Secretary and Attorney General for England and Wales. Being Chancellor of the University of Oxford is...

Peter Mandelson: Why I should be Chancellor

Lord Peter Mandelson has held positions including Director of Communications for the Labour Party, Secretary of State for Trade, Secretary of State for Northern...

Whose seat gets taken? Community and nostalgia on public transport

We’re on the second-to-last train back from London. It’s a rammed carriage that hums with the noise of the tracks and snatches of conversation,...

Protect the right to protest

This summer’s protests have pushed university free speech policies to their breaking point. Scenes of police being deployed at scale on college campuses across...

Unmask the shady investors

The University of Oxford’s new science and innovation district, set to open next calendar year, is a joint venture between the University and Legal...

Oxford can win on both free speech and EDI

Author note: Professor Tim Soutphommasane is the University’s Chief Diversity Officer, and was the Australian Race Discrimination Commissioner from 2013-2018.  Summers in Britain are increasingly...

What Oxford owes Oxfordshire

“Where are you living this year?” For some, this question brings back memories of scrambling to organise tenancies and coordinate renting plans. The panic of...

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