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.

https://alumni.ox.ac.uk/

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 14^th March 2023 in Zurich

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.

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”.

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.

More

DATE: THURSDAY 23 JUNE 2022
PLACE: VILLARS PALACE HOTEL, SWITZERLAND

Join your fellow alumni for two lectures focusing on accelerating the transition to a net zero economy, followed by a drinks reception on the Villars Palace Hotel terrace overlooking stunning mountain views. 

The reunion will take place as part of the inaugural Villars Symposium, from the Villars Institute, which was established in 2022 as a non-profit foundation to accelerate the transition to a net zero economy and to restore the health of the planet for all its inhabitants. Find out more about the wider symposium here. 

TICKETS: £30 PER PERSON, NON-ALUMNI GUESTS WELCOME

• Time TBC: A review of the key climate change takeaways from World Economic Forum
• 4.45-5.45pm: Climate change panel with Oxford’s Smith School
• 6-7.30pm: Drinks reception and canapés

Full details of the speakers and lecture topics will follow soon.

REGISTER NOW:

https://web.cvent.com/event/f5a7b896-dd1d-4f58-bbd6-700359fbe1ba/summary

The Chancellor of Oxford University, Lord Patten of Barnes, who chaired the Nominating Committee, said: ‘Irene Tracey was born in Oxford and educated at a local comprehensive and Oxford University, for which she has now been proposed as the next Vice-Chancellor. It is an extraordinary story of personal achievement, social mobility and academic excellence. I doubt whether anyone knows more about the University and all its aspects than today’s Warden of Merton. She also, as an internationally recognised scientist, has considerable experience at home and abroad. I am sure she will build successfully on the outstanding achievements of Louise Richardson and lead Oxford in coping with the big challenges which lie ahead.’

Read the full article here.

WELCOMING ST HILDA’S NEW PRINCIPAL

‘What the college stands for is very important to me. Excellence and equality have been significant driving motivations throughout my career.’

Professor Dame Sarah Springman was awarded a DBE for services to engineering and services to international sports administration in the 2022 New Year Honours. Exactly a month later she formally took up her post as the new Principal of St Hilda’s.

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW

https://alumni.ox.ac.uk/article/welcoming-a-new-principal-to-st-hildas

Swiss Friends of Oxford (SFOU) has successfully completed its fourth full year of operation.
During 2021 SFOU has reached some significant milestones. It has already facilitated over
CHF 4,500,000 in donations to Oxford University, its colleges and departments and
distributed over CHF 5,000 in scholarship funds to Swiss-based students applying to Oxford.
SFOU has grown its membership to 64 and has expanded its board by appointing Maria
Mavridoglou and Anne Kriken Mann.

President of the Association Howard Rosen said: ‘It’s an important part of our mission that
50% of our membership fees are allocated to support Swiss-based students studying at
Oxford. Switzerland is one of the philanthropic centres of the world and has detailed rules on
the establishment and purposes of tax-exempt organisations. As such, SFOU permits Oxford
University alumni and others based in Switzerland to make gifts and leave legacies in a tax
efficient way as charitable donations to Oxford.’

Board member Guy Spier noted: ‘We now have a platform from which to give back to
Oxford University, which has made such a difference to all our lives. As we look to the
future, there will be many more opportunities to increase awareness of Oxford and help the
next generation experience the same opportunities that we enjoyed.’

‘The most satisfying part of being a member of SFOU,’ said board member John Rolley, ’is
the support we can give directly to students. Working with Oxford we have already identified
students who are candidates for financial support, and the numbers we award scholarships to
will only grow as we spread the word.’

A spokesperson from Oxford University, said: ‘SFOU is a wonderful model for other nonprofits, started by alumni with the objective of giving back to their university.
Colleagues across the University and colleges were impressed when they started the association and are even more impressed that it has become a success, in spite of the pandemic. We are enormously grateful to the membership of SFOU for all their hard work and dedication.’

To find out more about the Swiss Friends of Oxford University, please visit the SFOU
website: www.oxfordfriends.ch or e-mail: info@oxfordfriends.ch