During his recent visit to Oxford, Prince Charles spoke with a group of 12 ‘under-represented’ students to hear about their experiences and challenges. The 30-minute conversation took place in the residence of Baroness Amos, master of University College (Univ), after the Prince’s visit to unveil the new Levine building at Trinity college last Thursday. 

Baroness Amos is the first black head of any Oxford college and the co-founder of the Amos Bursary program for talented students of African and Caribbean descent. Recipients of this bursary as well as others who had participated in the Opportunity Oxford program were invited to the meeting. He was eager to hear about their journeys to Oxford and thoughts on access at the university. 

The conversation came at the request of Prince Charles, who is working on some projects to make university more accessible for students from a variety of backgrounds. Chloe Bardou, Univ JCR Access and Equality rep was one of the students who spoke to Prince Charles. She talked highly of the conversation, saying that although she “was a little bit starstruck”, he made everyone feel at ease and “was keen to hear our feedback on what did and didn’t work” in regards to Prince Charles’ ideas. 

The visit comes as the JCR at Univ is pushing for access to be a main priority for the college in the coming years. The college hosts regular visits from schools in Univ’s linked areas in South-East England and engages with direct outreach to these groups from student ambassadors. 

Additionally, the college participates in the Opportunity Oxford academic program, which aims to support students who come from under-represented state school backgrounds to prepare for Oxford teaching and living. This year also saw many new events put on by Univ’s JCR and MCR this year to improve inclusivity including a Diwali bop, Chinese New Year celebrations, candle lighting for Hanukkah and a college-wide Iftar. Bardou is pleased with progress like this. However, she hopes the college will do more to make it easier to put on such events and allow small changes that can make students feel more welcome, like rewriting aspects of their Flag policy. 

The meeting left participants optimistic about Univ’s inclusive future and the Prince’s decision to discuss such matters with students did not go unnoticed by those he met with, and the many others who gathered outside the master’s residence to spot him leaving afterwards.

Image credit: Ed Nix

In those nervy interview days, the first person you met at Oxford was a porter. They handed over the keys to your new abode for the next few nights. We see porters every day, yet few understand or fully appreciate what they get up to.

It was when I locked myself out of my room in freshers that I first met Nikki.i. I had never seen a female porter before, which both surprised and interested me. Whilst Nikki is not the only female porter in the university, nor the first female porter that Hertford has had, she is one of a small minority of women in the profession.

The gender disparity that really jumped out to me. However, Nikki highlighted that being a woman in the role ‘hasn’t affected me at all’. Describing some of her main roles as a fire warden, first aider, email responder and student conversationalist she said that ‘all those jobs a woman can do’. You just need confidence, courtesy and professionalism. 

In recent years there has been much attention dedicated to narrowing the gender equality gap in the workplace. However, there are still many sectors that seem traditionally gendered. Nikki pointed out how strange and nonsensical it is, noting that one of her sons works as the only nurse practitioner in a nursery. It is just a societal norm that certain jobs are considered to be more feminine or masculine, but that doesn’t mean that it is right or impossible to change. Films such as Meet the Fockers emphasise the gendered stereotypes further by constantly promoting that Ben Stiller’s character is a male nurse. But, just as Nikki and her son prove, there is no reason why careers need to be gendered in this way. 

As a student, Nikki dreamed of being a chef, another sector which is heavily male-dominated. After missing out on the course she applied for, she went down the route of baking. However, that was not all she hoped it would be as she said that icing 400 donuts in the morning was not quite the career she had imagined. It was the hotel industry where Nikki felt she grew and developed the skills that she now implements in her day to day tasks as a porter. 

Perhaps one of the most fundamental parts of the job is looking after the college cat, Simpkin, and it turns out that liking cats is part of the job description. Interviewing for the job as a porter at Hertford, Nikki was asked if she was allergic to cats. This just goes to show how central the little black cat is to the college. Simpkin IV is part of the team as he joins the porters on their daily patrols around the grounds. Nikki describes him as a cantankerous character who can be stroked twice but never more. A tip that is good to know as a Hertford student. He is, as a result, a bit of a divisive figure and students, as well as Walter the Exeter cat, have faced the consequences of his third stroke. Although Nikki did note that in the notorious cat feud with Walter that Simpkin ‘always comes off worse’. 

However, Simpkin is not the only source of excitement. As gate-keepers of the college, porters are the first point of call for not only students but also celebrity guests. It was hard to miss the Hollywood buzz around Hertford last term as the set of Wonka landed onto the streets of Oxford. Students camped out in the Hertford marquee, eagerly waiting for a glimpse of Mathew Baynton, Jim Carter or Hugh Grant. However, always maintaining professionalism, the porters were tied to their office, (when they weren’t checking the Bridge of Sighs to ensure students weren’t hanging out the window). Although it must be noted the porters were on the student’s side, often having to remind the filming crew that the college is the student’s home not just a film set. 

Throughout filming, the porters were constantly answering questions about updates on Hugh Grant’s plans to go to his green room in college. But, unlike the rest of us, the porters stayed quite cool and calm in their office. It was, therefore, Hugh Grant himself that approached Nikki, confused that unlike the rest of the student population, she wasn’t falling at his feet. Their conversation was friendly, with Grant curious about her role too. However, what puzzled him the most was the fact that Nikki wasn’t wearing a bowler hat. To his question she answered that it’s because Hertford porters are ‘more relaxed and chilled out’, but quickly added this did not make them any less professional. 

Whilst Nikki didn’t manage to see the much sought after Timothee Chalamet, she could certainly hear the screams and gasps from outside the window. 

Of course, the job of a porter is not all glitz and glamour as the celebrity chats may suggest. There are jobs that no porter wants to do. It’s not hard to guess what comes bottom of the list: cleaning toilets and vomit. All Nikki had to say on the matter is ‘that kettle works hard’ pointing at the little metal appliance in the porter kitchen where we had our discussion.  

The timings of a shift porter allows for flexibility which enables Nikki to pursue other interests. Whilst of course she loves cats, it is her dogs Coco and Prince that happily await her return at home. 

It is clear that Nikki quite clearly loves being a porter. Every day is different, forcing her to think on her feet. Working as a shift porter moving from night to day especially brings a kaleidoscope of experiences. From cake to cats, Nikki proves that it is possible to break through stereotypes and that professionalism means much more than gender barriers.

Next week will see the opening of the new LGBTQI+ nightclub, Glamorous, in St. Clements.  The venue is set to open on Friday 20^th May, and builds on the success of the chain’s businesses in Birmingham and Coventry.

The venue will be “a blend of a modern cocktail bar and nightclub,” as proclaimed on the website.  Claiming to offer “a unique experience, from our cosy lounge, and cocktail bar on the ground floor, to our chic underground club room for the ultimate party”, the owners have promised that it will be an all-around ‘safe space’ for the LGBTQI+ community in the city.

The owner, Matt Eason, has chosen the site previously occupied by Be At One on St. Clements Road, offering Oxford residents a third LGBTQI+ nightclub in a different part of the city to Plush and the Jolly Farmers.

Eason promises that Glamourous will fit in between the nightclub atmosphere of Plush and the pub-like environment of the Jolly Farmers, the other two main LGBTQI+ venues currently in the city.

He is also keen to stress that he isn’t out to ‘cannibalise’ the business of those other locations, saying, “It is about being part of the community, not coming into Oxford being like the ‘big I am’ because we have a venue in Birmingham.  We are here to compliment what is already in the city.  The more that is going on, the better for the community is how we see it.”

Glamourous will be open every day, 12:00-03:00, with a daily happy hour until 11pm.  The company’s website also promises an exciting array of events alongside the normal opening hours, stating that, “Glamorous offers a range of nightly special offers on a wide variety of drinks as well as award-winning international drag artists, top UK drag artists, resident DJ’s, student nights and much more.”

Image credit: David Howard

Oxford University is planning on offering a fully-funded scholarship scheme to refugees from Ukraine in the 2022-2023 academic year. The Graduate Scholarship Scheme for Ukraine Refugees seeks to provide academic training for qualified Ukrainian graduates whose lives have been affected by the ongoing war so as to allow them to contribute toward reconstructing their country.

The scheme will award up to 20 scholarships to graduates for admission to a range of full-time, one-year postgraduate taught courses. The University and participating colleges will co-fund the scholarships, which will waive both course fees and the graduate application fee. Additionally, each Ukrainian scholar will receive free accommodation and meals in their college, as well as a grant of £7,500 to support their living and study costs. To recruit scholars, the University is planning on running a campaign during May of 2022, which will involve extensive advertising among Ukrainian universities, as well as through social media and such informal networks as the University of Oxford Ukrainian Society. Scholars may also be recruited via the UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme, the family reunification route, or other routes.

Additionally, the Oxford Refugee Studies Centre will serve as a hub providing scholars with access to seminars, events, and mentorship. Professor Louise Richardson, the University’s Vice-Chancellor, has stressed the institution’s solidarity with Ukrainians: “Like others, we have been horrified by the suffering and destruction caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” she said. “Our community is united in our desire to do something to help. These scholarships represent our effort to provide an opportunity to students and academics whose scholarship has been disrupted by the war. We look forward to welcoming colleagues from Ukraine into the University of Oxford.”

Baroness Jan Royall, Principal of Somerville College and Chair of Oxford University’s Conference of Colleges, said of the new scheme: “The war in Ukraine continues to cause immense suffering and long-term repercussions for those affected. It has been inspiring to see the speed and unanimity with which the colleges have rallied to support this important new programme. In time, there will be more for us to do in order to lessen the impact of this terrible war – but this scheme will give Ukrainian students a chance to rebuild their lives now, which is invaluable.”

The opportunity was devised by Professor Lionel Tarassenko, President of Reuben College, whose paternal grandfather came from Eastern Ukraine as a refugee. He spoke extensively of the scholarship scheme: “Like everyone else, I was horrified when the conflict started in late February and immediately began to think about how best to help the people of Ukraine,” Tarassenko said. “Having been an academic in the University for the past 34 years, I had no doubt that Oxford could play its part in supporting students fleeing from the conflict. The University offers a fantastic range of high-quality Master’s courses. As the former Head of a large University Department and now the President of Oxford’s newest college, I was able, with the support of senior colleagues in the University and its colleges, to devise a graduate scholarship scheme for Ukraine refugees. I am thrilled that this scheme should now enable Oxford to welcome 20 refugee scholars starting one-year Masters courses at the beginning of next academic year.”

Beyond the particular scheme, the University is building on its commitment to supporting refugees by working on designing welfare support for current undergraduates who have been impacted by the war, as well as financial support for those who need it. Those impacted by the conflict who are due to begin their course in Oxford in October of 2022 will also have the opportunity to benefit from the University’s support plans.

Image credit: Karollyne Hubert

The number of pupils admitted to Oxford University from EU countries has halved in the past five years, according to the University’s annual admissions report, which also indicated that the decline was expected as a result of Brexit. Elsewhere, the data showed continued growth in the number of state school pupils and applicants from China.

The admissions report revealed that the average number of EU admissions has fallen from an average of 260 over the last four years to 128 this year. Whereas students from the EU made up 8% of undergraduates admitted five years ago, that figure now stands at just 4%. Brexit negotiations raised questions over changing fee structures for foreign pupils with the government, and the bloc failed to agree on a replacement for the previously popular Erasmus programme. Erasmus is an EU programme that provides free movement and education exchange between registered universities and institutions, but the UK withdrew from the scheme following Brexit.

Vice-Chancellor of the University Louise Richardson said that the decline in EU admits “was expected as a result of the changing fee regime occasioned by Brexit, but it is stark.”

The decreasing trend was also noted by the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS) who stated that students from the EU had submitted far fewer applications in the UK higher education system after the Brexit withdrawal. UCAS figures highlight that only 31,670 EU students applied in the 2020-2021 period — 50% less than before Brexit. 

These falling numbers have been made up by a combination of more ‘homegrown’ British students and increased applications from Asian countries, especially China. In 2021, UK students comprised 59.2% of total applicants and 81.6% of total students admitted — a figure 9% higher than the average proportion of UK students admitted across Russell Group Universities. (The Russell Group comprises 24 research-intensive universities in the UK.)

EU students were only 8.8% of total applicants and 3.9% of students admitted, while non-EU (and non-UK) students were 32.1% of total applicants and 14.5% of students admitted. The People’s Republic of China continues to be the country most represented in overseas applications and admitted students.

The statistics on state school admissions paint an increasingly positive picture, however: in the last five years the number of successful applicants from the sector has increased by 10% to 68%.

To further its progress in this area as well as increase application numbers from the state sector, the University is launching a foundation year programme named Astrophoria. The project is entirely funded by a private, anonymous donor and will fund 50 students for one foundation year, starting in 2023.  As well as course fees, the fund will cover living expenses and accommodation in full.

According to the announcement, the fund will look to support those with “significant academic potential, but who have experienced severe personal disadvantage or a disrupted education which has damaged their ability to apply for an Oxford undergraduate place.”  

“We are delighted to announce the launch of the Astrophoria Foundation Year, which will have a transformative impact on the lives of the smartest students who have experienced grave disadvantage,” Richardson said. “The programme will enable us to accelerate the progress we have made, as demonstrated in our annual admissions report, in broadening the socio-economic backgrounds of our undergraduate students. I am deeply grateful to the generous donor who shares our belief in the power of education and our commitment to identifying and nurturing talent.”