Transcript: Vice-Chancellor's start of Trinity 2026 student message

Dear students,

As we approach the start of Trinity term, I hope you have had a good break and are looking forward to the weeks ahead as we embrace warmer and longer days in this our beautiful City of Oxford. 
I’m speaking to you today from my old stomping ground, renamed in 2022 after extensive refurbishment and investment by the University - the Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building. It rightly commemorates a truly remarkable Oxford woman – and still the only British woman to receive a Nobel Prize for solving the atomic structure of penicillin and vitamin B12 by using X-ray crystallography. This spectacular new building proudly houses the Department of Biochemistry and the Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Discovery.  

Biochemistry’s mission is to teach and conduct research on the molecular basis of life. Established in 1920, it is one of the largest centres for biochemistry and biomedical research in Europe. The department houses approximately 50 research groups with over 140 graduate students and teaches over 400 undergraduates through its Biochemistry degree – yours truly being one of them back in prehistoric times.

The Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery that physically sits alongside Biochemistry in this building is a new and independent institute that brings the physical sciences into the cell – the most basic unit of life. It has over 600 researchers and students from chemistry, physics, biochemistry, clinical neurosciences, physiology, anatomy & genetics, paediatrics and psychiatry, occupying space across six floors of the building. The ethos here can be summed up in the words of its Founding Director, another great Oxford woman, Professor Dame Carol Robinson; we aspire to ‘Be bold, be curious. Be kind.’ A message for us all. 

All the academics and researchers who work in this building are truly outstanding, and I hope you share my pride in them and the ground-breaking discoveries they are making to better understand life. 

My warmest congratulations to our Dark Blues and all those involved in preparing the crews for the Boat Race. The tide is finally turning! And as Varsity competitions continue, my very best wishes to our Dark Blues for your continued commitment and energy when representing Oxford. Let your commitment, teamwork, positivity and success be a source of inspiration and pride for us all.

If you’re sitting exams this term, I wish you every success. Please look after yourselves, and one another. Do make use of the support on offer, including help if you face any difficulties, as well as broader study support from the Disability Advisory Service. 

When planning your very well-deserved end of exam or term celebrations, please remember to Celebrate Smart and make memories, not a mess. Littering as part of your celebrations can result in a £150 fine. Please be considerate of other students, our local community, and the spaces and environment we all share. Take care, and please avoid going near areas of open water. 

I’m grateful to everyone who has taken the time to respond to University surveys. If you’re an undergraduate finalist, this is your final chance to take part in the National Student Survey before 30 April. Your voice really does help shape Oxford for the future. 

The final event in our termly Sheldonian Series will explore 'the power of satire' and how it helps us make sense of the world today, on Wednesday 20 May. This series remains an important part of our commitment to free and inclusive speech, and to ensure everyone’s voice is heard. Do sign up if you have not done so already.

There are also opportunities to attend fantastic free events and performances on Saturday 25 April for the launch of the Schwarzman Centre's Cultural Programme. This new venue provides completely new opportunities for us all in terms of cultural offerings, so please come along and enjoy. 

Investment in Oxford’s digital transformation continues, including the launch of our new website, designed to support you throughout your time here. We also continue to invest in our physical estate, including teaching and research spaces, accommodation, and green spaces, supporting both your academic and wider Oxford experience.

I am committed to ensuring that your time at Oxford prepares you not only academically, but also for what comes next. Alongside your degree, employers value experience too. The Careers Service offers paid or funded summer internships in the UK and internationally, available exclusively to you until late May. Recruiters will also be coming to Oxford for the Summer Graduate and Internship Fair in June. 

If this is your final term, I hope you make the most of it and, remember, you never really leave Oxford, so I look forward to welcoming you to Oxford’s thriving alumni community. To stay connected with the latest alumni events and benefits, please update your non-Oxford email address in Student Self Service. You can also attend the leavers’ fair at Oxford Town Hall on Wednesday 17 June. Drop in to pick up your alumni card and continue your lifelong connection with the University. 

Well, that’s it for now. I look forward to seeing many of you around Oxford and remember to take care of each other. Have a great term.