Japan Office

Professor Louise Richardson was formally installed as the new Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford in a ceremony in the Sheldonian Theatre on 12 January 2016. Speaking for the first time to Congregation, the University’s Parliament, Professor Richardson called for the University to be “agile” and to maintain a long-term perspective in addressing the challenges of the future. She strongly defended the academic principles of autonomy and freedom of enquiry, and called for the best efforts to be made in attracting the world’s best students and scholars to Oxford.

Professor Richardson has had a very distinguished career in academia and Higher Education management. She read History at Trinity College, Dublin, and also worked for many years in Harvard University. From 2009, she was Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She is the 272nd individual to hold the post of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, and the first woman. She is an expert in terrorism and security studies.

You can read more about Professor Richardson’s installation as Vice-Chancellor in the article on the University’s main website here.