History, Architecture & Art

Our Origins

Wolfson College was founded in 1966 to meet the challenges of a changing world. We were created to think differently and expand the constituency of postgraduate education to the best and brightest from around the globe.

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Sir Isaiah Berlin

Sir Isaiah Berlin was the first President of Wolfson, and was responsible for garnering support for the College in its early days and deciding its ethos for years to come.

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Reinventing the Oxford College

Our Grade-II listed site, integrated into the lush surroundings of the River Cherwell, was designed by architects Powell & Moya and completed in 1974.

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Changing with the Times

The College has grown substantially since our original buildings were completed in 1974. Just under 1000 graduate students and 300 Fellows now form the core of our community. The fabric of the College has changed with our growing numbers, and true to the mission of our founders we continue to adapt to the demands of new challenges and new frontiers in research.

Art at Wolfson

Wolfson College manages an outstanding collection of paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, textiles, sculptures and ceramics.