The University of Oxford and Sir David King create School of Enterprise and the Environment
29 Nov 07
Sir David King, the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, has accepted the role of Director of the newly formed Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at Oxford University.
Founded by a benefaction from the Martin Smith Foundation, the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment will conduct multidisciplinary research on private sector solutions to environmental problems, and promote environmental study as part of mainstream social science degree programmes. It will serve as a global hub drawing together academics from different University departments to work with policy-makers and business leaders in developing practical solutions to the environmental challenges of the 21st century.
It will build upon the University’s existing strength, with units such as the Oxford University Centre for the Environment, the Environmental Change Institute, and the Saïd Business School actively involved in the creation and ongoing life of the new School. The School will be based in the University’s Social Sciences Division. The founding benefaction from the Martin Smith Foundation will fund the core costs of the School and further donations are now being sought to endow academic posts and research and, in due course, a building.
Sir David said: ‘I am delighted to be taking up this post and excited by the challenge of establishing the new School as a world leader. The School will conduct interdisciplinary research to find private sector solutions to environmental problems. It will collaborate with business and government to look at solving issues that are unprecedented in scale and global in scope.’
Martin Smith, himself an Oxford graduate, approached the University 18 months ago with the idea of a School focusing on private sector solutions to environmental problems. The School has the aim of ‘normalizing’ green consciousness: It will promote environmental study as part of mainstream degree programmes, teaching students of core disciplines such as business, economics, politics, law, geography, as well as environmental science, that environmental problems are relevant to all disciplines.
Martin Smith said: ‘The long-term goal of the School is to place Oxford University at the forefront of global thinking and education in business-led solutions to the crucial environmental challenges facing the world. The University is already making a world-class contribution with its environmental research. We are thrilled that Sir David has agreed to be the School’s first Director, as this will ensure we are able to attract the very best talent from across the world. I look forward to continuing to support him and Oxford in this important initiative.’
The Vice-Chancellor, Dr John Hood, added: ‘Oxford University is enormously grateful for the generous benefaction from the Martin Smith Foundation that has ensured this exciting project can be made a reality. Martin Smith and his wife Elise have devoted great energy and enthusiasm to this initiative to combat global climate change. They recognise that environmental problems require enlightened action from the private and public sectors across national and international arenas’.
‘The appointment of Sir David King is a truly marvellous start to what promises to be a key multi-disciplinary venture. Few are as well placed as Sir David, with his extensive experience at the most senior level and his own scientific background in the field, to shape the School in its formative years.’
Sir David will take up this position on 1 January 2008, upon his departure as the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser.