Wolfson College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is unusual in being a graduate-only college, and is one of the most modern in the university, in architectural terms.

One of the larger colleges of the university, Wolfson College is quietly located in the north of Oxford along the River Cherwell. There are over sixty governing body fellows, about thirty research fellows in the college and another forty junior research fellows. The college caters to a wide range of subjects, from the humanities to natural and social sciences. Wolfson is one of the most egalitarian colleges at Oxford — for instance, there is only one Common Room organization for all the members of the college, students and Fellows alike.

The college has a centre for Korean Studies and is home to the International Association of Tibetan Studies.

The college motto is Humani nil alienum. This is an extract from the Roman playwright Terence: Homo sum, humani nil alienum a me puto which is translated as: I am a human being, and I consider nothing that concerns human beings to be alien from me.

Darwin College of the University of Cambridge is Wolfson College's sister college. See also Wolfson College, Cambridge.

History

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The college began its existence in 1965, under the name of Iffley College. It was founded with the aim to expand the opportunities of graduate studies at the University of Oxford. Twelve other colleges of the university (University, Merton, Queen's, New College, Lincoln, All Souls, Brasenose, Corpus Christi, Christ Church, Trinity, St John's and Jesus) provided grants to make the establishment of Iffley College possible. At the same time St. Cross College was initiated.

In 1965 Iffley College started without a head and no building on its own. However, the early Fellows had a clear vision for the direction of the college, desiring it to cater to graduate students, and for studies to encourage a cross-disciplinary approach. In 1966, the college received support from the Wolfson Foundation and Ford Foundation to establish its own college site, and in 1967, Isaiah Berlin became Wolfson's first President. By 1974, the college completed its own buildings on the current site in north Oxford. Situated on the bank of the River Cherwell, and owning land on both sides of the river, it is now one of the few Oxford colleges with its own punting harbour. It achieved full collegiate status in 1981. (A more extensive history of the college is given in Michael Ignatieff's Isaiah Berlin. A Life (1998).)

Academics/teachers

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• Samson Abramsky, FRS
• John Barnes
• Sir Isaiah Berlin, OM, CBE
• Norman Davies
• Sir Tony Hoare, FRS
• Roger Moorey
• Sir Gareth Roberts, FRS
• Jon Stallworthy
• Stan Woodell

See also

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• Former students of Wolfson College, Oxford
• Fellows of Wolfson College, Oxford

External links

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• Virtual Tour of the College
• The Wolfsonians

Educational institutions established in 1965 | Colleges of the University of Oxford

Wolfson College (Oxford)