Linacre College Strategic Plan

Linacre College Strategic Plan 2025–2030 Our Strategic Plan for 2025–2030 sets out how we will strengthen Linacre College over the next five years so that we can continue to deliver public benefit through education, research, access, sustainability, and community engagement.

Our Mission Our mission is to advance knowledge and understanding for the good of society by nurturing excellent postgraduate education and research as a College of the University of Oxford.

Our Core Values Academic Excellence: We foster rigorous research and education grounded in intellectual integrity and creativity, and a commitment to public benefit.

Equality: We foster a friendly and welcoming community where every member is empowered to participate fully, respected equally, and supported to reach their potential, academically, socially, and personally, without discrimination or bias.

Diversity: We value diversity because people from diverse backgrounds bring different ideas, experiences, and ways of thinking. This enables important issues to be understood from multiple perspectives and results in more creative and effective solutions.

Inclusion: We encourage those who have been under-represented to aspire to postgraduate study and beyond. Promoting inclusion reflects the key values of modern British society and contributes to the diversity that enriches our University.

Sustainability: We support and promote environmental responsibility, and are committed to contributing to solving climate challenges.

Core to the strategic vision are four priorities: Student Experience; Opportunity & Access; People; and Environment. These are supported by careful financial planning and responsible stewardship of our buildings and resources.

1. Student Experience Linacre is home to more than 700 postgraduate students from across the world.

Postgraduate study can be both demanding and isolating and our first priority is to ensure that every student can flourish academically, socially, and personally. We will: Strengthen academic and pastoral support so students receive timely guidance and help when challenges arise.

Invest in welfare and disability support, recognising the pressures associated with advanced study.

Reduce social isolation through academic events, shared meals, and inclusive community activities.

Improve and expand student accommodation, aiming to offer housing to new students for at least their first year in Oxford.

Keep rent and meals as affordable as possible.

Increase financial hardship support by growing our hardship fund endowment from £850,000 to £1.25 million by 2030, enabling more students to continue their studies when unexpected financial difficulties arise.

2.Expanding Opportunity & Access Linacre was founded as a college committed to widening access to postgraduate study.

That commitment remains central. Despite Oxford’s global reputation, financial, cultural, and structural barriers still prevent many capable students - particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, less well‑funded disciplines, and lower‑income countries - from pursuing postgraduate education. Over the next five years, we will: Expand scholarship funding in partnership with University initiatives.

Grow hardship support to prevent students from having to suspend or abandon their studies.

Strengthen outreach through programmes such as UNIQ+ and collaboration with academic departments.

Ensure that our buildings and facilities meet high modern accessibility standards.

Encourage talented students from all backgrounds to see Oxford, and Linacre, as places where they belong and can succeed.

By widening access, we not only transform individual lives but also enrich academic debate and research outcomes through diversity of perspective and experience.

3.Investing in People and Academic Community A college is more than its buildings, it is a community of students, academics, staff, alumni, and trustees. Linacre has a distinctive interdisciplinary character and a strong tradition of supporting early-career researchers. We see this as a major opportunity for public impact. Early-career academics often go on to shape public policy, scientific discovery, cultural life, and global scholarship. We will: Strengthen support for Junior Research Fellows and early-career researchers.

Encourage collaboration across disciplines to address complex global challenges.

Modernise governance and professional practices to ensure accountability and good stewardship.

Invest in staff development and professional standards.

Build strong relationships with alumni and track long-term graduate outcomes.

By creating an intellectually vibrant and professionally well-run College, we enhance the quality of research and teaching that benefits society as a whole.

4.Leading on Environmental Responsibility Linacre has long been one of the more environmentally ambitious Oxford colleges. The climate crisis demands urgency, and our strategic plan commits us to further action. We

aim to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2035, primarily by moving to electric heating of our buildings, improved energy efficiency, and phased refurbishment of our estate. We will reduce fossil fuel use, invest in low-carbon technologies, and align our efforts with, and where possible exceed, University targets. In addition, we will: Improve biodiversity across our sites.

Embed sustainability in day-to-day operations.

Integrate environmental improvements into all major refurbishment projects.

These actions contribute directly to national and global climate goals while reducing long-term energy costs and demonstrating institutional leadership.

Responsible Stewardship of Resources Delivering public benefit requires financial resilience and careful management of assets.

Our Plan strengthens the College’s long-term sustainability by: Growing flexible (unrestricted) income.

Expanding responsible fundraising, including for scholarships and hardship support.

Using borrowing selectively and prudently.

Expanding commercial conferencing and events where this supports community use of our facilities.

Investing in the long-term maintenance and improvement of College buildings.

Over the next decade, essential works will ensure statutory compliance, safety, and preservation of historic buildings. Planned refurbishments will improve accommodation quality and align with our environmental goals. Financial resilience allows us to continue supporting students, research, and outreach even during periods of economic uncertainty.

Addressing Risks and Embracing Opportunity The higher education landscape is changing. Rising costs, international competition, and geopolitical uncertainty present challenges. At the same time, there are opportunities: Growth in new postgraduate qualifications, including online and modular study.

Expansion of Doctoral Training Centres.

Increased philanthropic support from alumni.

The chance to position Linacre as a leading home for early-career research.

Our strategic plans position Linacre to respond thoughtfully and proactively to these developments.

Delivering Public Benefit Public benefit is central to the College’s strategic goals. By investing in students, widening participation, strengthening academic life, and committing to environmental responsibility, Linacre College aims not only to sustain its distinctive identity but to deepen its contribution to the wider world. Linacre contributes to society by: Educating highly skilled postgraduate students who go on to leadership roles in science, policy, education, industry, and the arts.

Supporting research that addresses global challenges.

Expanding access to world-class education.

Reducing environmental impact and modelling sustainability.

Engaging alumni and partners in long-term social contribution.

The 2025–2030 strategic plan will ensure that Linacre remains a modern, inclusive, intellectually vibrant college, dedicated to advancing knowledge and serving society for generations to come.