The new Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University says she's passionate about giving more students from diverse backgrounds the chance to study there.

Professor Irene Tracey CBE set out her vision for Oxford’s future as she is formally admitted as the University’s 273rd Vice-Chancellor.

She spoke of her ties to the city having attended a local state school and the university.

But she also addressed a number of challenges including the need to improve pay and working conditions for staff and preserving the university's place as a world leader in learning.

 

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Speaking at her Admission Ceremony in the Sheldonian Theatre, Professor Tracey said: "I stand here today, as surprised as no doubt you are, that after a lengthy global search this University, my University, elected a local girl - in every sense of the phrase - to be your next Vice-Chancellor.

"To be entrusted with this role fills me with immeasurable pride. I am privileged and honoured to serve my hometown University that has nurtured me since my undergraduate days."

Professor Tracey, the former Warden of Merton College, was born in Oxford and attended Gosford Hill, a local comprehensive school, before undertaking her undergraduate and graduate studies in biochemistry at Oxford and Harvard.

She was Nuffield Professor in Anaesthetic Sciences as well as head of the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience and held posts at Christ Church and Pembroke.

Professor Tracey spoke of her local roots, her ‘inspirational’ school education and the importance of her family and her faith.

Describing herself as ‘made in Oxford’, she told her audience: "I will be an advocate for Oxford like no other, because I know – in detail – what great things we offer and have yet to offer this city, this country and the world, whether that’s via knowledge generation, through discovery research, or knowledge transfer, through our world-class teaching.

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"I will be relentless in championing what we do and making sure that the Oxford that I know, live, and breathe, is the one that people get to hear about."

She also spoke about inclusivity and the importance of free speech.

She said: "Our goal is to teach students from any background so that they have knowledge in their chosen subject area, but just as importantly lifelong skills in how to learn, how to engage constructively with differing opinions, how to be unyielding in their search for truth, how to navigate a world of ‘fake news’ and disinformation, and how to remain curious.

"Their goal is to find their passion and hopefully shape a sustainable, more equal and truly inclusive society."

Turning to research, Professor Tracey spoke of the need to widen sources of funding, to drive greater innovation and ‘to get serious about climate change’.

 

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She said she wanted to see Oxford expand its global engagement and that she was ‘absolutely committed to strengthening and deepening the relationships between the city, county and University.’

This will include the creation of a new post to build Oxford’s global and local engagement, and working to reduce the pressure on the city’s housing and public services.

On people, the Vice-Chancellor said the University now needed to focus on its staff, ‘the lifeblood of any university.’

Announcing a new commission on all aspects of staff pay and conditions, Professor Tracey told her audience: "We must find ways to shift the needle in your quality of life so that you can continue to deliver your best performance.

"I have heard the strength of feeling on pay and working conditions, and it is a priority for me to make sure the University is doing everything it can to support staff during these difficult financial times and to be an attractive place to work in the future."

 

 

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