Somerville College

16/10/2026

It was fascinating to hear journalists Felicity Spector (1985, PPE) and Luke Harding speak to the Somerville London Group last night about their work in Ukraine. Their expertise and experience in the field led to a fascinating and timely discussion, and lots of questions. Felicity and Luke also signed copies of their recent books too: Felicity's Bread and War, and Luke's Betrayal, both available now. Many thanks to both speakers, and to Sarah Wyles (1987, History) for chairing.

12/10/2026

We’re thrilled to introduce the inaugural sessions in our new Principal’s Discussion Series. Providing a unique forum for interdisciplinary discussion, the Principal’s Discussion Series will offer:

📚Fascinating interdisciplinary themes
👥Unparalleled access to specialists
💬Seminar-style discussion
🎓A bridge between academic study and practice

For our first series, Principal Catherine Royle and former Chief Historian of the FCDO Gill Bennett will take on the topic of Applied History, a field that has received increasing academic interest in recent years for its potential to yield rewarding “historical precedents and analogs”.

09/10/2026

We’re very excited that global choral superstar Eric Whitacre is our Musician in Residence this year. His first concert with The Choir of Somerville College, Oxford is 'Eternity in an hour' on Friday 16th October at The Olivier Hall, north Oxford. Joining Eric and the choir for this unmissable event will be the ‘cellist and former BBC Young Musician of the Year Laura van den Heijden. Tickets are available from

Grammy Award winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre presents his newest electro-choral work Eternity in an Hour with the Somerville College Choir

08/10/2026

Next week, on Thursday 15th October, the Somerville London Group will proudly host Luke Harding and Felicity Spector (1985) at the Frontline Club for a conversation on Ukraine’s present and future, hopes and fears. Luke Harding reports on Ukraine for The Guardian and Felicity Spector is a senior TV producer with 34 years experience dating to her coverage of the fall of the Soviet Union. Both have visited Ukraine many times since the Russian invasion of 2022 and both have recently published books: Luke Harding’s Betrayal reports from the front line in Ukraine, while Felicity Spector’s Bread and War tells of how baking bread in war-torn cities is both a symbol of Ukrainian national identity and an act of resilience. Tickets are £20 for alumni, £15 for new alumni (post-2016). Sign-up: https://www.some.ox.ac.uk/news-events/event/somerville-london-group-ukraine-hopes-and-fears/

05/10/2026

Welcome back to Somerville for Michaelmas! We’re so happy to have our students back, and to introduce our freshers to life at the Ville on such a perfect autumn day 🍂

01/10/2026

It is with great affection and sadness that Somerville College marks the passing of its honorary fellow Dame Esther Rantzen (1959, English). Esther was a trailblazing broadcaster and campaigner whose zest for life translated into lasting improvement in the lives of others. Her life and work embody the very best of our College’s commitment to courage, compassion and public service. Read more: https://www.some.ox.ac.uk/news/esther-rantzen-1940-2026/

25/09/2026

Exciting news! For the first time since 2014, Somerville College are competing on University Challenge. Our quizzers are Milton Lee (2023, Physics), Zoë McGuire (2024, Maths and Computer Science), Elijah Scheinson (2025, MSt Byzantine Studies) and team captain Rohan George (2025, Chemistry). We are beyond proud of the team! Make sure you’re watching this coming Monday at 8.30pm on BBC 2.

24/09/2026

Somerville College is proud to launch its new Early Career Fund for securing academic futures, and pleased to invite further support for this vital programme. We are delighted to introduce the inaugural beneficiary of the fund, Dr Kieran Brown, who will join Somerville for three years as the Sue and Kevin Scollan Early Career Fellow, continuing his work at the intersection of literature, economics and philosophy. https://www.some.ox.ac.uk/news/a-lifeline-for-the-humanities-introducing-somervilles-early-career-fund/

24/09/2026

We’ve had a fantastic September at Somerville, welcoming alumni of all ages back to College. We started the month with the 1966 Diamond Reunion, followed swiftly by Family Day, and a Gaudy for 2008-2013 alumni. In the last week alone, we’ve had reunions for 1976, 1986, and 1996, as well as our annual alumni formal hall, where Somervillians from across the decades gathered for dinner in Hall and a BOP! Thank you so much to everyone who attended one of these events, and also to everyone in College who works so hard to make them a success.