News
Dinner with Professor Mette Morsing in Geneva and Zurich
It was a delight to have Professor Mette Morsing as guest of honour at two great evenings with Swiss Friends of Oxford University last week in Geneva and Zurich.
on 11.04.2024 in Zurich
on 10.04.2024 in Geneva
Talk at Graduate Institute Geneva
On the initiative of SFOU, Professor Morsing was delivering the Geneva Dialogue lecture this year and they had a fantastic discussion with the audience at the Graduate Institute and online.
on 09.04.2024 in Geneva
Lord Patten of Barnes announces his retirement as Chancellor of the University of Oxford
Christopher Patten, Lord Patten of Barnes, has announced that he will retire as Chancellor of the University of Oxford at the end of the 2023-24 academic year. He has been Chancellor since March 2003.
Lord Patten said: ‘This year, I will have my 80th birthday in May. I hope that there will be many more birthdays to come. But I am unlikely to have another 21 years in the job as Chancellor of the University.
‘I think it is in my own interest and that of the University for me to step down at the end of this academic year, giving the University the opportunity to plan a sensible succession which matches the demands of the 2020s. I say this with a heavy heart, trusting that I will still be able to work for Oxford University (which I love) from time to time.
‘The University of Oxford has been a hugely important part of my life. I think it is true to say that Oxford as a whole made me, not just because of the three happy years I spent there as a student, but because of what Oxford has continued to mean to me over the years right up to the present day.’
Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: ‘Over the past 21 years, Lord Patten has been an extraordinarily active and committed Chancellor, engaging in as many as 60 international events per year on the University’s behalf, tirelessly championing Oxford at home and abroad. While his incomparable dedication will be sorely missed by the University, it is entirely understandable that he should want to take a step back at this time, as he approaches his 80th birthday.
‘I am personally grateful for his wise and steadfast support to me as I navigated the transition to becoming VC.
‘On behalf of thousands of alumni, students and staff and the many people whose lives have been changed by the University’s work, I thank Chris, and also his wife Lavender, for their service and wish them well in a richly deserved retirement.’
The University expects to be able to share further information about the next steps soon, as well as to provide opportunities for comments and questions.
About the role of Chancellor
The Chancellor is the titular head of the University and presides over several key ceremonies. The Chancellor chairs the Committee to Elect the Vice-Chancellor. In addition to these formal duties, the Chancellor undertakes advocacy, advisory and fundraising work, acting as an ambassador for the University at a range of national and international events.
The election of the Chancellor
The process and timetable for the election of the Chancellor by members of the University’s Convocation will be announced in due course.
Dinner with Professor Michael Bronstein in Zurich and Geneva
Two wonderful evenings with Swiss Friends of Oxford last month in Zurich and Geneva, with our speaker, Professor Michael Bronstein and special guest Sir Rick Trainor.
on 30.01.2024 in Zurich
on 31.01.2024 in Geneva
Meeting Minds Oxford
The Meeting Minds weekend 22-24 September in Oxford is coming closer. A good opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni. There’s still time to book. Find out more about the event plus discover new alumni offers, news from Oxford and some inspiring alumni stories.
Reading with Prof Henrike Laehnemann
Reading from the book “Unerhörte Frauen” at the Jesuitenbibliothek in Zurich
Zurich, 22nd August 2023, 19:00
About the event:
https://www.jesuitenbibliothek.ch/veranstaltungen-news.html#veranstaltungen
About Henrike Lähnemann:
http://Henrike Lähnemann | Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages (ox.ac.uk)
About the ranking of the book:
https://oe1.orf.at/artikel/704305/Sachbuecher-im-August
Dinner with Professor Dr Ian Shipsey in Zurich and Geneva
In March 2023 we had two very interesting dinner events with our remarkable guest of honour Professor Dr Ian Shipsey, who gave a talk on “From Quarks to the Cosmos”. He gave us the opportunity to listen to one of the world’s leading experts explain the progress being made in understanding the nature of matter, energy, space and time and the universe as a whole.
on 14th March 2023 in Zurich
Reception in Basel with Professor Kathy Willis, Principal of Teddy Hall
Professor Kathy Willis, Principal of Teddy Hall, was hosting a small drinks reception for the Teddy Hall Swiss alumni in January 2023. It was a very delightful evening.
Dinner with Professor Dr Christopher McKenna in Zurich and Geneva.
In November 2022 we had two stunning dinner events with our fabulous guest of honour Professor Dr Christopher McKenna who presented the case study “Family Business, Corporate Reputation, and the Evolution of the English Wine Trade”.
Congratulations to Dame Louise
We were delighted to learn that Professor Louise Richardson, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, has been recognized by HM The Queen in her Birthday Honours today. Dame Louise, as she has now become, has been a much-appreciated longstanding supporter of SFOU and she will be greatly missed when she steps back from her position at the end of the year.