There have been lots of "pinch me" moments since I moved from Sydney, Australia to the city of dreaming spires but today might just top them all.
Sitting in the Sheldonian Theatre with my colleagues from the Department of Education, University of Oxford, I listened to the Vice-Chancellor's Oration. A tradition at the start of each academic year that has been observed since 1670.
Hearing the Vice-Chancellor acknowledge the contribution of AI in Education Oxford University (AIEOU) as part of the University of Oxford's global leadership in AI was something I will need to take some time to process!
I feel incredibly proud of all that we have achieved in a very short time and I am inspired by the momentum we have built. Thank you to the dream team of Rebecca Williams, Elizabeth Wonnacott, Dongxia Nie and all of our colleagues and collaborators in Oxford and around the world. Especially those in the Social Sciences Division, University of Oxford that believed in our vision and helped bring AIEOU to life.
Looking forward, I am most inspired by the Vice-Chancellor's closing remarks...
"As I look ahead, I want Oxford to be remembered not just for what we discovered, taught or built, but for how we did it - with Hope in what is possible, Truth as our North Star and Kindness in our hearts. That is the Oxford story we must keep writing together." - Vice-Chancellor Professor Irene Tracey CBE FRS FMedSci
You can read the full oration here: Vice-Chancellor's Oration 2025 | University of Oxford
