The University of Oxford is a member of the Russell Group of research-led British universities, the Coimbra Group (a network of leading European universities), the League of European Research Universities, International Alliance of Research Universities and is also a core member of the Europaeum. Academically, Oxford is consistently ranked in the world's top 10 universities. For more than a century, it has served as the home of the Rhodes Scholarship, which brings highly accomplished students from a number of countries to study at Oxford as postgraduates.
History
The university traces its roots back to at least the end of the 12th century, although the exact date of foundation remains unclear. After a dispute between students and townsfolk broke out in 1209, some of the academics at Oxford fled north-east to the town of Cambridge, where the University of Cambridge was founded. The two universities (collectively known as "Oxbridge") have since had a long history of competition with each other.
The expulsion of foreigners from the University of Paris in 1167 caused many English scholars to return from France and settle in Oxford. The historian Gerald of Wales lectured to the scholars in 1188, and the first known foreign scholar, Emo of Friesland, arrived in 1190. The head of the University was named a chancellor from 1201, and the masters were recognised as a universitas or corporation in 1231. The students associated together, on the basis of geographical origins, into two “nations”, representing the North (including the Scots) and the South (including the Irish and the Welsh). In later centuries, geographical origins continued to influence many students' affiliations when membership of a college or hall became customary in Oxford.
Members of many religious orders, including Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustinians, settled in Oxford in the mid-13th century, gained influence, and maintained houses for students. At about the same time, private benefactors established colleges to serve as self-contained scholarly communities. Among the earliest were John I de Balliol, father of the future King of Scots; Balliol College bears his name. Another founder, Walter de Merton, a chancellor of England and afterwards Bishop of Rochester, devised a series of regulations for college life; Merton College thereby became the model for such establishments at Oxford as well as at the University of Cambridge. Thereafter, an increasing number of students forsook living in halls and religious houses in favour of living at colleges.
The new learning of the Renaissance greatly influenced Oxford from the late 15th century onward. Among University scholars of the period were William Grocyn, who contributed to the revival of the Greek language, and John Colet, the noted biblical scholar. With the Reformation and the breaking of ties with the Roman Catholic Church, the method of teaching at the university was transformed from the medieval Scholastic method to Renaissance education, although institutions associated with the university suffered loss of land and revenues. In 1636, Chancellor William Laud, archbishop of Canterbury, codified the university statutes; these to a large extent remained the university's governing regulations until the mid-19th century. Laud was also responsible for the granting of a charter securing privileges for the university press, and he made significant contributions to the Bodleian Library, the main library of the university.
The university was a centre of the Royalist Party during the English Civil War (1642–1649), while the town favoured the opposing Parliamentarian cause. Soldier-statesman Oliver Cromwell, chancellor of the university from 1650 to 1657, was responsible for preventing both Oxford and Cambridge from being closed down by the Puritans, who viewed university education as dangerous to religious beliefs. From the mid-18th century onward, however, the University of Oxford took little part in political conflicts.
The mid nineteenth century saw the aftermath of of the Oxford Movement (1833-1845) led amongst others by the future Cardinal Newman. The influence of the reformed German university reached Oxford via key scholars such as Jowett and Max Muller.
Administrative reforms during the 19th century included the replacement of oral examinations with written entrance tests, greater tolerance for religious dissent, and the establishment of four colleges for women. Women have been eligible to be full members of the university and have been entitled to take degrees since 7 October 1920.[9] Twentieth century Privy Council decisions (such as the abolition of compulsory daily worship, dissociation of the Regius professorship of Hebrew from clerical status, diversion of theological bequests to colleges to other purposes) loosened the link with traditional belief and practice. Although the University's emphasis traditionally had been on classical knowledge, its curriculum expanded in the course of the 19th century and now attaches equal importance to scientific and medical studies.
The mid twentieth century saw many distinguished continental scholars displaced by Nazism and Communism who were to find academic fulfilment in Oxford.
The list of distinguished scholars at the University of Oxford is long and includes many who have made major contributions to British politics, the sciences, medicine, and literature. More than forty Nobel laureates and more than fifty world leaders have been affiliated with the University of Oxford.
Reputation
In the subject tables of the Times Good University Guide 2008, Oxford is ranked as the top university in the UK with Cambridge as the second. Oxford is ranked first in Politics, Physiological Sciences, English, Fine Art, Business Studies, Materials technology, Middle Eastern and African Studies, Music, Philosophy, and also Education and Linguistics which it shares first with Cambridge. Oxford comes second after Cambridge in a further seventeen subjects. The University then takes three third-places and an equal-third, as well as a fourth, fifth, and equal-sixth place in one subject each.
In the Guardian's subject tables for institutions in tariff-band 6 (universities whose prospective students are expected to score 400 or more tariff points) Oxford took first place for Anatomy and Physiology, Anthropology, Biosciences, Business and Management Studies, Earth and Marine Sciences, Economics, English, Law, Materials and Mineral Engineering, Modern Languages, Music, Politics, Psychology, and Sociology. Oxford came second to Cambridge in Geography, Archaeology, Classics, History, History of Art, Mathematics, Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies. Oxford came second in General Engineering, and third in Fine Art, General Engineering and Physics; fourth place in Chemistry and Medicine; sixth place in Computer Science and IT.
According to the 2008 THES - QS World University Rankings Oxford is rated 4th in the world, behind Harvard, Yale and Cambridge, making it the 2nd best university in Europe.
Oxford is one of four UK universities that belong to the Coimbra Group, one of four UK universities that belong to the League of European Research Universities, and one of three UK universities that belong to both. It is the only UK university to belong to the Europaeum group.
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Academics
There are four academic divisions within Oxford University. All have a full-time divisional head and an elected divisional board.
Humanities
American Institute, Rothermere Classics, Faculty of Drawing and Fine Art, Ruskin School of English Language and Literature, Faculty of History of Art Department History, Faculty of Linguistics, Philology & Phonetics, Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages, Faculty of Music, Faculty of Oriental Studies, Faculty of Philosophy, Faculty of Theology, Faculty of Voltaire Foundation
Mathematical, Physical & Life Sciences
Begbroke Science Park Chemistry, Department of Computing Laboratory e-Research Centre, Oxford Earth Sciences, Department of Engineering Science, Department of Life Sciences Interface Doctoral Training Centre Materials, Department of Mathematical Institute Physics, Department of Plant Sciences, Department of Statistics, Department of Zoology, Department of
Medical Sciences
Anaesthetics, Nuffield Department of Biochemistry, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurology, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Experimental Psychology, Department of Human Genetics, Wellcome Trust Centre for Medical Oncology Molecular Medicine, Weatherall Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nuffield Department of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Laboratory of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nuffield Department of Paediatrics, Department of Pathology, Sir William Dunn School of Pharmacology, Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, Division of Surgery, Nuffield Department
Social Sciences
Ageing, Oxford Institute of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, School of Archaeology, School of Business School, Saïd Economics, Department of Education, Department of Geography and the Environment, School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies, School of International Development, Department of (Queen Elizabeth House) Internet Institute, Oxford James Martin 21st Century School Law, Faculty of Oxford-Man Institute of Quantitative Finance Politics and International Relations, Department of Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment Social Policy and Social Work, Department of Sociology
Oxford University Was Ranked 4th in the 2008 THES-QS World University Ranking
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