St John's College, Oxford

While not the first to be broadcast, 'The Roman Arena' was the first to be made, and Matthew was asked the first ever question of the new Misha Glenny era!

BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, The Roman Arena Misha Glenny and guests discuss the origins and harsh realities of the gladiator life.

Did you catch Senior Tutor, Dr Matthew Nicholls, discussing The Roman Arena on In Our Time this morning?

If not, don't worry! You can catch up on all the gladiatorial action at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Slade Lectures 2026
'Shanghai'
Esther da Costa Meyer
5pm Auditorium, St John's College @stjohnsox.bsky.social
(Free Admission)

Today's lecture (abstract) www.hoa.ox.ac.uk/event/slade-lectures-2026-urban-change-and-representation-2

More info on the Slade Lectures: www.hoa.ox.ac.uk/slade-lectures

You have an amazing campus and wonderful students! 😊I had a most enjoyable time conducting the workshop and dining at HighTable! Thank you!

Thank you so much for coming, it was an amazing evening!

Ancient Greek Choir Workshop, Uni of Oxford was amazing! 😃Most of the audience were experienced choir singing, studying Greek; we sang fragments of 5 ancient songs together! Special thanks to Ewen Bowie & Georgy Kantor, Donna Han,
& @lucianixon.bsky.social 🤗

St John’s hosts reception for Ukrainian academic publishers On 20 January, St John’s welcomed senior leaders from Ukraine’s academic publishing sector, including university vice-rectors and representatives from the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science.

We were delighted to welcome 18 Ukrainian academic editors, publishers & policymakers to Oxford yesterday as part of a 5-day programme by Oxford Brookes University to strengthen Ukraine’s academic publishing amid the challenges following Russia’s invasion.

www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/discover/new...

William Whyte appointed General Editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Congratulations to the Revd Canon Professor William Whyte on his appointment as General Editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB). He succeeds Professor Sir David Cannadine, Honorar...

Congratulations to Professor William Whyte on his appointment as General Editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

He succeeds Professor Sir David Cannadine, Honorary Fellow of St John’s, who will step down in July after 12 years in the role.

www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/discover/new...

If it's not good news, you should still be incredibly proud of yourself for getting this far. We have far more good applicants than places available, and you will thrive wherever you go to university!

Congratulations to everyone receiving their offer today 🎉

We hope you're as excited as we are - you have so much to look forward to!

Case, a black and white cat, looks at the camera with a dusting of snow on his back.

Happy New Year from a snowy St John's this morning!

New photographic portrait of Professor Philip K. Maini unveiled at the Bodleian Professor Maini is one of nineteen University researchers celebrated in a new series of photographic portraits commissioned by the Bodleian Libraries and the British Journal of Photography (BJP).

Professor Philip Maini (SJC and @oxfordmathematics.bsky.social) is one of 19 @ox.ac.uk researchers featured in a new series of portraits commissioned by @bodleian.ox.ac.uk and the British Journal of Photography, celebrating leading researchers across the University.

www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/discover/new...

"It is the irrepressible warmth and optimism of its storytelling that draws so many back to Call the Midwife each and every year."

A wonderfully festive piece from Geography Lecturer @aliceewatson.bsky.social to get you excited for Christmas... 🎄

YouTube video by Oxford Lifelong Learning, University of Oxford It’s the 8th Day of Oxmas and Jane Austen’s birthday, presented by Dr Octavia Cox! #OxfordLiterature

We loved welcoming Dr Octavia Cox and the @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social team to our Old Library to explain the special connection between Jane Austen and the college!

www.youtube.com/shorts/MHt-H...

An old colour picture postcard showing a watercolour of medieval college buildings, on a leafy street, with a few smartly and academically dressed people outside

Here's a #HigherEducationPostcard of @stjohnsox.bsky.social

The college was founded in 1555 with the aim of providing educated catholic clerics who could support Queen Mary's counter-reformation

If you like this image, please retweet it - remember, BlueSky has #NoAlgorithm

'Be yourself'!

Tutors want you to feel able to be yourself in the interview, and to allow you to best demonstrate your skills and abilities.

Don't just try to say what you think your interviewer wants to hear - they're interested in your thoughts and opinions!

"We have to tell those stories if we expect to have ... today's world value caregiving."

Secretary @hillaryclinton.bsky.social reflects on the importance of recognising women’s lives as foundational to our societies, as part of our celebration of the Chair in Women's History.

Got an Oxford interview coming up? Top tip number 1 from our students is to practise speaking out loud about your subject!

Last night we gathered together for the Carol Service - one of the highlights of the chapel year, and it's not difficult to see why! 🎶

This year, the service opened with the 'Carol of the Bells', which fits English words to the Ukranian tune 'Shchedryk' by Mykola Leontovych.

Meet Professor @sarahknott.bsky.social, Hillary Rodham Clinton Chair of Women's History at @stjohnsox.bsky.social and @oxhistoryfaculty.bsky.social.

We spoke to Professor Knott after her inaugural lecture this week about what the Chair means to her, and why it's so important.

We're very grateful to @hillaryclinton.bsky.social, @aijenpoo.bsky.social, Kirsten Swinth @fordham.edu and @profemilyjones.bsky.social for forming Tuesday's panel, alongside @sarahknott.bsky.social

Hillary Clinton speaking at dinner at St John's College, with President Professor Lady Sue Black

Hillary Clinton, Sue Black and Sarah Knott in conversation before the inaugural lecture

Panellists for 'The Politics of Care' - Emily Jones, Kirsten Swinth, Sarah Knott, Ai-jen Poo and Hillary Clinton

Sarah Knott and Hillary Clinton during the panel discussion

We were honoured to welcome Secretary @hillaryclinton.bsky.social to St John's this week, in collaboration with @oxhistoryfaculty.bsky.social, for two days of events celebrating the Hillary Rodham Clinton Chair of Women’s History, held by Professor Sarah Knott.

www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/discover/new...

A picture of 5 people in a panel discussion on stage with archival images on a screen behind them

Grateful to share insights from our archives w/ @stjohnsox.bsky.social + @oxhistoryfaculty.bsky.social this week. As Prof. Sarah Knott shared, historians rely on archives to do what they do, & safe repositories like ours are essential for contextual understanding & research

A glimpse inside last week's private view of 'Theatres of Time: Glory, Decay, and Imagination in Piranesi’s Rome.' 🎨

The exhibition runs until 29 November 2025, and a guided tour is available on Wednesday 26 November at 4.30pm.

www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/discover/eve...

College cats of Oxford Once upon a time, we featured an image of Magdalen's kitten, Ozymandias, in our newsletter. We figured it might be a gentle contrast to our regular diet of planning and local politics. The grey ball ...

Walter de Staplecat, Simpkin IV, Teabag, Balthasar and Benny D Cat take the stage as we meet the college cats of Oxford. And, of course, Magdalen’s Ozymandias. Read on for our photo special. (Includes a cat map.) oxfordclarion.uk/college-cats...

YouTube video by StJohnsCollegeOxford Founder's Lecture 2024: Catherine Mallyon CBE

Catherine gave the St John's College Founder's Lecture in 2024, reflecting on executive leadership within the creative arts.

You can watch that lecture (among many others) on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hdg...

Congratulations to alumna and Honorary Fellow Catherine Mallyon CBE who has been announced today as incoming Chair of @creativeuk.bsky.social: the national membership body for the UK’s cultural and creative industries.

Jazz at St John's: Soweto Kinch Soweto Kinch presents a bespoke solo performance blending jazz, hip hop and spoken word, with original new music built from sample packs and East African music.

🎷 Tomorrow night at St John’s: award-winning saxophonist & MC Soweto Kinch brings jazz to the Garden Quad Auditorium!

Over 100 tickets already gone - just a few left, don’t miss out on this brilliant evening of music!

www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/discover/eve...

We're offering up to six grants for Visiting Scholars from mid-July to mid-September 2026, including accommodation, meals & SCR membership. 📚

Apply by 5pm UK time, 16 January 2026.

Full details: www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/discover/vac...

2025 Sidney Ball Memorial Lecture RESPONSIBILITY AND THE DEMANDS OF SOLIDARITY - Defending the welfare state in hard times

Registration is OPEN for our annual Sidney Ball Memorial Lecture, with speaker Professor Frank Vandenbroucke (Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health, Belgium) ⬇️
Find out more: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2025-sidne...
@stjohnsox.bsky.social @socsci.ox.ac.uk .uk #WelfareStates #SocialPolicy