Archive access donated to the University

An electronic resource of over 20,000 articles charting debates in world economic, political, and social affairs over the last fifteen years has been donated to the University of Oxford. Oxford Analytica, the international consulting firm which has produced daily analyses of significant global events since 1984, has made a gift of free access to its influential archive to all university members. Welcoming the donation of this unique source of research material, the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Colin Lucas, said: `This generous gift will provide an invaluable resource to students and staff in many disciplines, providing an insight into the confidential briefing that was available to decision makers at key moments. `Above all, this donation reflects the close relationship which this University has had with Oxford Analytica, since the company was established in this city twenty-five years ago. Many famous Oxford names have been among the contributors to and editors of the archive since it began, so it can also be seen as a record of part of this institution's academic activities in this period.' The Oxford Analytica Research and Teaching Archive makes all the material that is in the company's Daily Brief available to participating universities three months after its first publication. The Brief is intended to offer prompt and authoritative judgement by independent scholars to subscribing international organisations, governments, and companies. Contributors include Sir Patrick Nairne, Dr Robin Ostle, Dr Alex Pravda, Dr David Hine, and Laurence Whitehead. Subscription to the Archive has been sold to major US universities—including Harvard, Yale, and Berkeley—and will shortly be available in Europe. However, as the company's managing director, Dr David Young, explains, he wanted the Archive to be freely available in Oxford: `The international success of the Daily Brief service depends on the quality of thought it contains. Much of this has been contributed by Oxford University's leading scholars, working in areas including economics, politics, and international relations. I believe it is essential that this great wealth of analysis and interpretation be freely available to today's Oxford researchers.' The Oxford Analytica database is available in OxLIP, the Bodleian Library's directory of electronic resources, and can be accessed directly at www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/oxlip/analytica.htm.