Image showing photo of Professor Donna West Brett and information about her upcoming talk 'Stasi Surveillance: Photography's Material and Residual Traces'.
Join us on 5 March for the Oliver Smithies Lecture with Professor Donna West Brett (Oliver Smithies Visiting Lecturer) speaking on 'Stasi Surveillance: Photography’s Material and Residual Traces'.
www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/events/2026/...
1/3) Join us on Tuesday 5 May at 5pm at @ballioloxford.bsky.social for the Bingham Lecture in Constitutional Studies.
@alanrenwick.bsky.social will explore: 'Competing Visions of the UK Constitution: How Should They Be Assessed, and What Are the Implications for Debates about Democratic Reform?'
Illustration of a horse
Happy Lunar New Year! We wish everyone celebrating a prosperous #yearofthehorse.
Image showing a photo of Prof Donna West Brett and upcoming details of her talk 'Disaster, Sensation, and the Zeppelin Sublime'
Join us on 12 February for the Oliver Smithies Lecture, with Professor Donna West Brett (Oliver Smithies Visiting Lecturer) speaking on 'Disaster, Sensation, and the Zeppelin Sublime'.
More info: www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/events/2026/...
Image showing the collection of Trefethen's index cards.
What can 1,200 index cards tell us about a lifetime of thinking?
A new Balliol College Library collection, 'Trefethen's Index Cards', is now available online, offering a unique window onto five decades of ideas and reflections by Professor Nicholas Trefethen.
www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/news/2026/fe...
Image showing photo of Prof Manuela Zaccolo and details of her upcoming talk entitled 'Tiny Signals, Big Impact: How the Stress Response of the Heart Could Unlock Precision Therapy.'
You are invited to an online talk by Professor Manuela Zaccolo tomorrow, 3 February, 5.00pm. Register for free here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Image showing a photo of Adrian Woolfson and details of his upcoming talk entitled 'Pulp Fiction Biology: Making Life Programmable in a Post-Darwinian Age'.
Join us for a talk by Adrian Woolfson (Balliol 1992) on Tuesday 10 February, 5.30pm, at the Gillis Lecture Theatre, Balliol - all Balliol and University members welcome. More info: www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/events/2026/...
Spring flowers with Balliol Chapel in the background
New year, new beginnings. Wishing everyone a bright and inspiring year ahead!
Balliol Garden Quad in autumn
‘At this time of year, I’m reminded how fortunate we are to belong to a college with such a deep sense of identity and community. I’m grateful for your continuing support and affection for Balliol, which sustain us and enable us to look confidently to the future.' Helen Ghosh, Master
The St Catherine window in the Chapel, portraying the removal of Catherine’s body by angels to Mt Sinai
We’re celebrating St Catherine’s Day tonight with the traditional dinner for Senior Members and finalists. St Catherine of Alexandria, Balliol’s patron since the 13th century, is honoured throughout College - look for her in the Old Common Room, Library, Hall, and Chapel.
Job! Associate Prof of Modern European History @ballioloxford.bsky.social and @oxhistoryfaculty.bsky.social.
www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/balliol-peop...
Balliol College buildings at night under a bright moon with a visible moon dog in the sky.
Photographer Stuart Bebb captured this stunning moon dog shining over Balliol. A moon dog (or paraselene) appears when bright moonlight passes through cirrostratus clouds filled with hexagonal ice crystals, creating glowing spots of light on one or both sides of the Moon.
A new statue of Dervorguilla, the founder of @ballioloxford.bsky.social has been erected in Oxford by the marvellous sculptor Alex Wenham. Some of John Milnes' evocative photos of the process of creating it are here: theoxfordsausage.com/a-new-public...
Statue of Dervorguilla of Galloway
A new statue of Balliol’s co-founder and first benefactor, Dervorguilla of Galloway, now stands at Master's Field! Warm thanks to Jim Rogers (Balliol 1964) for making this commission possible, and to Alex Wenham for his creativity and vision.
www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/news/2025/se...
Professor Matthew Langton (left) and Professor Adrian Kelly (right)
Matthew Langton and Adrian Kelly have been awarded the title of Professor in this year's Recognition of Distinction initiative by the University of Oxford. Congratulations to our two new professors!
www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/news/2025/se...
Conor Muller in Cornwall
Balliol graduate student Conor Muller is cycling across the UK in memory of his mum, raising funds to support charities Solace and The Brain Tumour Charity
www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/news/2025/au...
Professor Sir Charles Godfray
Professor Sir Charles Godfray (Director of the Oxford Martin School, Professorial Fellow) discusses his career and the future of food in a rapidly changing climate.
www.ox.ac.uk/climate-and-...
Photo of Balliol's Front Quad
Good luck to everyone receiving their A-Level results today! If you are #GoingToOxford and joining Balliol – many congratulations and we look forward to seeing you this autumn.
Portrait of Dame Stephanie Shirley
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Dame Stephanie ‘Steve’ Shirley - entrepreneur, philanthropist & Foundation Fellow of Balliol. From refugee to entrepreneur to philanthropist, she lived ‘a life worth saving,’ and her generosity to the College leaves an enduring legacy.
tinyurl.com/4hjxspv4
I only met Dame Stephanie “Steve” Shirley twice and both times she was talking about her life story which is among the most impressive I know.
The world is poorer without her.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Three Balliol members have been elected as Fellows of the British Academy this year. Congratulations to Prof Nick Couldry (Balliol 1977), Prof Tomila Lankina (Balliol 1998), and Richard Ovenden (Professorial Fellow) on their election!
www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/news/2025/ju...
The continued support of Old Members and friends is crucial to ensuring that current and future Balliol students can thrive, no matter the challenges they face. Make your gift today to support students when they need it most: give.balliol.ox.ac.uk/p/areaofgreatestneed/pledge/
Whether it’s keeping our doors open to bright young minds, helping students thrive no matter their circumstances, providing sanctuary to students fleeing crisis, protecting the excellence of the tutorial system, and so much more, your generosity supports so many students in so many ways. Thank you.
Thanks to the support of Old Members and friends, Balliol students can learn, grow and flourish in a vibrant, creative, intellectually curious community. Everyone who shared their story this week has highlighted the difference your support makes to them. We are all so grateful.
Give today to protect the excellence of the tutorial system for future generations of students: give.balliol.ox.ac.uk/p/areaofgreatestneed/pledge/
Thank you for sustaining a stimulating academic environment that offers students the best education and prepares them to leave their mark on the world.
Your support has made ECFs like Linda a vital part of Balliol’s academic community. They provide dynamic tutorials, conduct cutting-edge research and equip students for the future. ECFs have expanded teaching by 30% and contribute immeasurably to Balliol’s intellectual life.
Tutorials are the cornerstone of an Oxford education, and the generosity of Old Members and friends for Balliol’s Early Career Fellowship (ECF) programme attracts outstanding academics at the beginning of their careers to the College to enrich tutorial teaching at Balliol.
Balliol has a proud history of offering sanctuary and the support of Old Members and friends makes this possible. Thank you to everyone who has become part of this tradition and given students seeking sanctuary a chance to continue their education.
Consider supporting students fleeing crisis to continue their educational journey and play their part in shaping the future: give.balliol.ox.ac.uk/p/sanctuary-fund/pledge/. Partnerships with other University funds doubles every gift to the Balliol Sanctuary Fund, giving them twice the impact.
Your generosity gives students comprehensive support tailored to their circumstances enabling them to settle at Balliol and immerse themselves in their passion for their studies. Learn more about how your gifts support students seeking sanctuary at Balliol alumniweb.ox.ac.uk/balliol/sanctuary
