PrinciPal’s Message

This is an exciting time for Mansfield College. In 2013 we embarked upon a whole set of changes that will take the College to a new place in its evolution. We are following the advice of Daniel Burnham: ‘Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood.’ So our plans are ambitious and bold – to make the College even more beautiful, more financially stable, and ever more intellectually vibrant and successful.

The building of new kitchens, a new ‘bistro’ refectory and bar is already in train. The renovation of the whole of the Tower and East Range is underway, and a wonderful terrace is being created for outdoor events and taking the sun over a coffee. Those changes will be completed by the early Summer of 2014. Mansfield’s Governing Body undertook a review of the needs of College and the uses of our buildings, and agreed that the Chapel should take on new life, becoming the new space for our regular formal dining but retaining the capacity to be used for services, concerts and other events. The Congregationalist Church, which founded the College, was consulted and is content with this reinvigoration of the Chapel’s purposes. This change will enable us to include many more of our students in the important aspect of College – breaking bread together. And having a glass of wine!

Planning permission has been obtained for the Love Lane site so that a world-leading Institute of Human Rights will be located in the College. This project has the full backing of the Law Faculty and the University as a whole. The Institute will occupy two floors and house a stunning all-singing, all-dancing 200-seat lecture theatre that can be a cinema, and a theatrical and musical performance space too. It will also have a replica courtroom for legal practitioners to come and ‘dry run’ their legal arguments, with input from Oxford’s graduate students. The four upper floors will provide student accommodation for Mansfield students.

The Institute will conduct high-level research into the most pressing human rights issues of our times and will seek to strengthen the rule of law in parts of the world where democracy and law are fragile. It will have strong links with the major human rights NGOs and other key institutions, as well as the judges and leading practitioners from around the globe. Countries that do not have well-functioning legal systems and safeguards for their citizens are inevitably unstable and prone to conflict and war. And they are certainly risk-laden for companies seeking to trade. The rights of women and children have little chance of flourishing when there is no recourse to law.

The presence of the Institute within the College will bring a new footfall of intellectuals and practitioners from other nations who are engaging with these challenges. The College will become a hub for discussion and debate, which will not be confined to lawyers and prospective lawyers but will draw in scholars from all disciplines. For me, human rights provides a language for one of the greatest conversations of mankind, and that is what our education system must be engaged in. The Institute’s purposes fit closely with the long traditions of Mansfield, which has always been committed to egalitarian principles and respect for the dignity and humanity of all.

The College is continuing with its central mission, which is to make an unparalleled education available to talented people whatever their background. Our success in bringing students to Oxford from across the social spectrum makes us the leading college in access. We still do better than any other college in Oxford or Cambridge and we have for three years now been in the top half of the Norrington table. A third of our students get Firsts. It is a great story but it is the result of long and hard work, visiting schools and FE colleges around the country. It demands time, commitment and a call on our financial resources. And I thank all of you who contribute to make this happen.

We all feel invigorated by these step changes at Mansfield but, of course, we need all of our great community of students, their families and our alumni to be part of it. Frankly, I need your help – in ways practical and financial. Every bit will help. Ideas for people who might share our ideals and aspirations, who could support these projects, will be welcomed too. Please do not hesitate to get in touch. You may even have a friend with philanthropic interests who would want to help us bring our ambitions to fruition. So fundraising ideas are really welcome!

I wish everyone the very best, and hope that 2014 is a truly successful and fulfilling time for us all.