University of Oxford

Featuring keynote speeches, panel discussions and performances that bring together leading voices from policy, activism, business and academia to explore the relationship between climate change and human rights, the launch event will set the stage for a 24-hour global online plenary continuing into World Environment Day on 5 June.The evening will begin with opening addresses from Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, and Volker Türk, United Nations…

Quantum computers could unlock unprecedented computational power far beyond current supercomputers. However, the performance of quantum computers is currently limited, due to interactions with the environment degrading the quantum properties (known as ‘quantum decoherence’). Physicists have been searching for materials resistant to quantum decoherence for decades, but the search has proved experimentally challenging.In this new study, researchers from the Davis Group at Oxford University have demonstrated a highly effective new…

Oxford University has launched a free online platform for teachers in UK state schools to support their schools’ academic enrichment offerings. Oxplore Teach provides ready-to-use activities for learners from the age of 11 to support them in developing confidence and critical thinking skills, encouraging them to think like a university researcher.  The project is the latest access and outreach initiative from Oxford University, which has expanded its programmes to engage pupils earlier on in their educational journey, from the age of 11. The move is in response to research…

Until now, studies on ancient proteins have been confined largely to mineralised tissues such as bones and teeth. But the internal organs – which are a far richer source of biological information – have remained a “black box” because no established protocol existed for their analysis. Our method changes that.Lead researcher Alexandra Morton-Hayward (University of Oxford)From brains and muscles, to stomach and skin – preserved soft tissues can offer unique…

Singer-songwriter and recent UN Global Environmental Ambassador, Ellie Goulding, will perform at the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Concert on 6 June at New Theatre, Oxford. The concert, hosted by United Nations Human Rights and University of Oxford, aims to call urgent world attention to the escalating human rights implications of the climate crisis. Events in Oxford include: Photography 4 Humanity: A Lens on Climate Justice, May 30-June 8 - Visit the Weston Library (exhibition moving to Fusion Arts…

Romania’s 2025 presidential election was far more than a domestic political contest —it was a stress test for Europe’s digital defences. Amid rising political instability and economic downturn, the country became a frontline example of how digital interference, algorithmic manipulation, and platform inaction can collide to undermine democratic processes.What unfolded in Romania is both a warning and a lesson: in the digital age, electoral integrity can no longer be separated…

The new Fellows have been elected to the Academy in recognition of their exceptional contributions to the advancement of biomedical and health science, cutting edge research discoveries, and translating developments into benefits for patients and wider society.The Oxford Fellows are among the 54 new Fellows announced this year who will be formally admitted to the Academy at a ceremony on Wednesday 9 July 2025.The new Fellows are:Professor Charalambos Antoniades FMedSci,…

In the modern world, a reliable supply of hydrogen gas is vital for the function of society. Fertiliser produced from hydrogen contributes to the food supply of half the global population, and hydrogen is also a key energy component in many roadmaps to a carbon neutral future, essential if we are to prevent the worst predictions of climate change.Today, hydrogen is produced from hydrocarbons, with waste gases contributing to 2.4%…

Oxford University researchers, alongside a local team of scientists studying chimpanzees in Budongo Forest, Uganda, have observed that these primates don’t just treat their own injuries, but care for others, too — information which could shed light on how our ancestors first began treating wounds and using medicines.Our research helps illuminate the evolutionary roots of human medicine and healthcare systems. By documenting how chimpanzees identify and utilize medicinal plants and…

A generous gift of over £8.4 million from the Fondation Docteur Sadok Besrour will establish the new Dr Sadok Besrour Professorship of Global Primary Care and a dedicated Besrour Centre for Global Primary Care at the University of Oxford.Housed in the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences (NDPCHS), internationally recognised for its research into health systems and community-based care, the new Centre will focus on improving access to high-quality,…

Unlike traditional summits that convene the world’s experts in a single location, often at great environmental cost, the second Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit pioneers a decentralised model that will unite people across the world around a cornerstone online event.First held at the University of Colorado Boulder in December 2022, this year the event will be virtually anchored at Oxford but connected with leading universities around the world…

Rivers support life—but they also pose growing risks. As rainfall becomes more erratic and sea levels rise, floods are expected to become more frequent and severe in many parts of the world. Yet existing global river maps are outdated and overly simplified, assuming that rivers flow in a single direction and never split. They often overlook complex features, such as when a single river channel splits into multiple channels. These branching…

This term's focus on the subject of 'truth' supplied inspiration for a wide-ranging exchange of views when the Sheldonian Series returned on Tuesday 13 May.Discourse navigated the role of truth in contemporary life and the people who create it, the relationship between truth, news organisations and universities, and the impact of AI and the Trump administration.The Sheldonian Series is a termly event that launched in Michaelmas 2024, convened by the Vice-Chancellor, and…

Professor Ian Walmsley This dual appointment signals Oxford’s intent to remain at the forefront of global quantum research and innovation, building on a decade of strategic investment in this critical area. The Oxford Quantum Institute, hosted by the Department of Physics, brings together researchers across departments and divisions to accelerate the development and application of quantum science and technology. Professor Walmsley’s role on the government’s advisory board further reinforces Oxford’s…

Professor Andrew Przybylski Too often, media headlines blame social media for causing rising rates of depression and anxiety in young people, oversimplifying the issue and ignoring the complex factors at play. But the reality, as shown in new research we published with colleagues from the University of Cambridge is more nuanced. Young people with diagnosed mental health conditions experience social media differently from those without such conditions.  We found that adolescents with…

The research challenges a widespread assumption about LLMs: that these learn how to generate language primarily by inferring rules from their training data. Instead, the models rely heavily on stored examples and draw analogies when dealing with unfamiliar words, much as people do.To explore how LLMs generate language, the study compared judgments made by humans with those made by GPT-J  (an open-source large language model developed by EleutherAI in 2021)…

‘Counter-connecting’ is a term coined by the lead author, Dr Julia Badger, of a recently released paper ‘Bullying or counter-connecting? Two inclusive definitions for schools’.Julia, who is a Departmental Lecturer of Child Development and Education at the Department of Education, University of Oxford, said: 'There is no standardised or universally accepted definition of school bullying, and the most frequently used definitions are not inclusive of the experiences of pupils with…

Since the Easter Weekend, Marks & Spencer (M&S), one the United Kingdom’s biggest high street retailers, has been managing the fallout of a cyber-attack on its business operations. This has forced the company to suspend online orders, led to shortages on shelves, increased working demands on staff, and wiped £750m off the share value. Left: Dr Patricia Esteve-Gonzalez. Right: Luna Rohland. Even three weeks later, there is still no indication…

Seven CO2RE Artists have been hand-picked to create a diverse range of works designed to engage the public in the potential of Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR), with funding provided by the UKRI backed-initiative.Our hopes for CO2RE Arts expand beyond the projects we’ve funded, as CO2RE believes science and engineering, including their conceptualisation, design and delivery, as well as innovations that follow, are cultural practices. Meaning that artists, creative practitioners and the arts…

Scientists from the Ineos Oxford Institute for antimicrobial research (IOI) have developed a new screening method to tackle bacterial resistance to the tetracycline class of antibiotics. The results from this method provide the starting point to develop new drugs to treat drug-resistant infections. The findings have been published in Chemical Science. Tetracyclines are among the most widely used antibiotics to treat respiratory tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases, and urinary tract…

Four academics from the University of Oxford were elected this year as international members.Véronique Gouverneur, Waynflete Professor of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry. Professor Véronique Gouverneur. Credit: Stephen Cannon. Professor Gouverneur is renowned for her contributions to fluorine chemistry which have tackled some of the biggest challenges of this area. Her achievements include developing new fluorination processes for producing diagnostics and pharmaceutical drugs, and advancing safe and sustainable manufacturing of fluorochemicals that…

Bridgerton actor Simone Ashley and Surface star Gugu Mbatha-Raw will join industry practitioners and Oxford academics for this celebration of the women shaping the film industry, and explore changes in (and challenges to) the perception and representation of women in the industry.Other leading industry voices will also share their experiences behind-the-scenes to audiences, including:Lucy Bevan, casting director for major films like Barbie and The Batman.Finola Dwyer, two-time Oscar-nominee and BAFTA-winning producer…

Pioneering Māori scholar, Mākereti Papakura, will receive a posthumous degree from the University of Oxford nearly 100 years after she began her studies.Born in Aotearoa New Zealand in 1873, Mākereti is believed to be the first indigenous woman to matriculate to the University, and news she would be posthumously awarded the degree of MPhil was announced by the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography on Wednesday 30 April.  Pioneering scholarStudio…

The 2025 QS ranking evaluated 232 leading EMBA programmes worldwide across six key indicators, with an emphasis on global institutional reputation.This year’s record results saw the Oxford Executive MBA programme, which typically represents 38 nationalities from 33 employment sectors, score particularly highly in:At Oxford Saïd, we foster our students in all aspects of their academic journeys and encourage them to approach our learning environment as the intellectual playground that the opportunity symbolises.…

On Thursday 1st May, voters in 23 councils across England will elect their councillors and mayors in the first local elections since the general election last July. There will also be a parliamentary by-election in the Runcorn and Helsby constituency. Professor Jane Green Why do the local elections matter?These elections mark the first test since the general election for new Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch, the new Labour government, and Nigel…

The new study, of unprecedented scale, examines not only clinical associations, but also for the first time the biological basis for these comorbidities - through genetics. It identifies osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, coeliac disease, and psoriasis among the comorbid conditions significantly linked to endometriosis.These insights not only enhance our understanding of the relationship between endometriosis and immune conditions but also pave the way for better-targeted treatments, the potential for…

Deep in the Central Andes lies Uturuncu, Bolivia’s “zombie” volcano -so called because despite being technically dead (last erupting 250 thousand years ago), it still shows signs of unrest, including earthquakes and plumes of gases. This unrest manifests itself in a “sombrero” pattern of deformation, with the land in the centre of the volcanic system rising up, and surrounding areas sinking down.I am very pleased to be involved in this…

In an age when political leaders chase opinion polls and CEOs worship at the altar of quarterly earnings, a white-robed elderly man exists as an anomaly on the world stage. Elected not by the masses but by a college of cardinals, he answers neither to voters nor to markets but to a higher authority. The pope is spiritual leader to 1.3 billion Catholics, yet he is also somehow more than…

A learning centre in Oxford, operated by the national charity IntoUniversity in collaboration with the University of Oxford and Christ Church, Oxford, has marked its 10th anniversary of supporting local young people to realise their full potential.   A special event was held at the Oxford South East centre in Blackbird Leys on Thursday, 24 April, bringing together community leaders, school children and families, as well as representatives from the University…

A new study led by the University of Oxford has revealed that a common and usually harmless virus may positively influence how skin cancer patients respond to current treatments.Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus that, while typically asymptomatic, is carried for life by around 50–60% of UK adults. In healthy individuals, CMV is kept in a dormant state by the immune system; however, this process profoundly reshapes how the immune…

Large, long-lived marine animals such as sharks and rays are amongst the world’s most threatened groups, primarily due to overfishing in targeted and bycatch fisheries. In small fisheries, households rely on marine resources for their food and income, creating trade-offs between biodiversity and wellbeing outcomes. Incentives therefore can provide a cost-effective and equitable option for balancing the needs of people and biodiversity. However, incentives can also change behaviour in unexpected…

During the Encaenia ceremony on Wednesday 25 June, degrees will be awarded to Dame Jacinda Arden, Lord Melvyn Bragg, Clive Myrie, Professor Serhii Plokhii, Professor Timothy Snyder, Professor Colm Tóibín, Sir Mo Farah, Professor Robert S Langer and Professor Erwin Neher.Ticket registration will open on the 6 May for staff, Congregation, students, Oxford University alumni, retired members of Congregation and academic visitors. We are sorry that tickets to the ceremony…

In today’s polarized online landscape, fact-checking has become a vital tool for countering misinformation. But for fact-checks to make a difference, people have to actually pay attention to them.A widely held assumption is that corrections are more effective when they come from someone who shares your political views. But is shared ideology really what makes people listen?People were significantly more likely to reply to or otherwise engage with a correction…

Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a new drug delivery system using ultrasound-activated nanoparticles to break through and destroy bacterial biofilms. This offers a promising solution that could address the global crisis of chronic antibiotic-resistant infections affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Professor Eleanor Stride. In up to 80% of chronic infections, bacteria form biofilms – a slimy substance secreted by the bacteria which forms a protective…

A team of researchers at the University of Oxford have uncovered crucial evidence for the origin of water on Earth. Using a rare type of meteorite, known as an enstatite chondrite, which has a composition analogous to that of the early Earth (4.55 billion years ago), they have found a source of hydrogen which would have been critical for the formation of water molecules.Crucially, they demonstrated that the hydrogen present…

Past societies are often presumed to be egalitarian, but our research shows that high wealth inequality could become entrenched where ecological and political conditions permitted. The emergence of high wealth inequality wasn’t an inevitable result of farming... It emerged where land became a scarce resource that could be monopolised.Professor Amy Bogaard, School of ArchaeologyThe study is published as part of a Special Feature of the Proceedings of the National Academy…

The Fellowships are designed to accelerate researchers’ careers and fast track them towards world-leading positions in the future, ensuring the UK maintains its position as a global force in quantum technology. The investment provides an invaluable opportunity to advance their research and innovation, and will provide opportunities to build connections with industry and end-users, reducing the gap between research and commercialisation.Professor Charlotte Deane, EPSRC Executive Chair and a Professor in…

Cambridge make it eight wins in a row in the Women's Boat Race and claim a third successive victory in the Men's Boat Race. Crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge returned to the famous Championship Course on Sunday 13 April 2025 for a sporting event that boasts nearly 200 years of competition.A great afternoon on the river with all crews making their universities proudVice-Chancellor, Professor Irene…

As part of the Technical Area 3 (TA3) of the programme, nine research teams across the UK will focus on developing mathematical and computational methods to provide quantitative safety guarantees for AI systems. This will help ensure that advanced AI can be deployed responsibly in safety-critical sectors and domains such as infrastructure, healthcare, and manufacturing. Two of these projects are led by researchers at the University of Oxford:Towards Large-Scale Validation…

Discussions about maternal health and rights in Mexico tend to focus on health outcomes and access to healthcare. Academics and activists have long campaigned for the government to invest more resources in maternal health. Unfortunately, healthcare provision for women who want to have a child and are struggling to conceive hasn’t received enough attention. Uterus transplantation is a procedure where a woman who doesn’t have a functioning uterus receives one either from a…