Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the founding of Green College
Green Templeton College celebrated the 40th anniversary of the founding of Green College on Friday 20 September 2019, with fellows, alumni, friends and staff gathering for a memorable evening reception.
Green College was founded in 1979 to pioneer the work of medical and applied social science postgraduate students. Green Templeton College was established in its current form in 2008 through the merger of Green College and Templeton College.
Photographer: Nuno Pereira
The evening began with a talk by Oxford medical alum Dr Christoffer van Tulleken, who was introduced to the stage by Green Templeton Governing Body Fellow Dr Laurence Leaver.
Chris trained at Oxford and is now an infection doctor at UCLH, specifically the Hospital for Tropical Disease. Over the last decade he has presented some of the BBC’s flagship series about health and medicine, including the BAFTA-winning Operation Ouch on CBBC.
He spoke on the subject of ‘Industry influence, profit incentives and overdiagnosis’ and you can listen to his lecture on Soundcloud.
Guests were also treated to a recital by Musician-in-Residence Maki Sekiya, who performed in the Observatory Common Room. Japanese-born virtuoso Maki has held the position since 2017 and has given termly recitals at college since her appointment.
Green Templeton Emeritus Fellow Sir Muir Gray provided the after-dinner remarks before the college’s Bursar Dr Timothy Clayden introduced the auction and raffle, with all funds raised allocated to the Principal’s Fund, to support students, and the Musician-in-Residence.
The evening drew to a close with a stunning son et lumière display on the iconic Radcliffe Observatory, showcasing a selection of images from the history of the college, and a wonderful performance by a jazz ensemble.
Green Templeton College is grateful to Oxford PharmaGenesis and Bio-Techne for their support ahead of the event.
The Radcliffe Observatory is having a conservation makeover...
Behind the printed wrap is a complex network of poles and platforms, giving specialist teams access to every part of this remarkable building.
The Observatory is now undergoing a new phase of work that combines careful conservation of its historic fabric with major environmental upgrades.
Protecting one of Oxford`s most iconic landmarks for generations to come. 🏛️
Over the past week, we have celebrated the extraordinary Green Templeton community through events, volunteering, competitions, challenges and fundraising for student support. It has been wonderful to see alumni, fellows, supporters, friends, staff and students coming together to show our support for students.
From the Garden Party and the Photography Competition, to the Memory Wall and Biscuit Decorating Competition, the week has been filled with moments that reflect the warmth, inclusivity and spirit of our college.
Thank you to everyone who made a gift, attended an event, volunteered their time or followed along throughout the week. Together, we have raised over £65,000 for student support. These gifts will help students pursue opportunities, navigate financial pressures, participate fully in college life and thrive during their time at Oxford.
#ThankYou
#GivingWeek
#Fundraising
#StudentSupport
#Oxford
📸 Congratulations to Sophia Hall (MSc Medical Anthropology, 2025), winner of the Green Templeton College 2026 Photography Competition!
Sophia`s reflection on Vincent captured perfectly the sense of belonging that so many people find at Green Templeton.
A huge thank you to everyone who entered the competition and to everyone who voted. Your support also helped unlock £1,000 of funding as part of our Community & Giving Week challenge!
What a way to start Community & Giving Week 🤩
Saturday`s Garden Party brought together alumni, fellows, friends from across the UK and beyond to celebrate one another and support current and future students.
On the day, many shared their college memories on our `memory wall` - from today on display in the Stables Bar.
We are now asking our global community to share their memories of Green, Templeton and Green Templeton, and help us unlock an additional £1,000 for student support once we reach 50 memories.
You can email development@gtc.ox.ac.uk with a picture or share a video or audio via the link in the comments.
#givingweek
Community & Giving Week is here!
Over the next seven days, we’re celebrating the friendships, opportunities and support that define life at Green Templeton.
Join us through community challenges, volunteering, student stories and favourite college memories.
Let us celebrate the people who make GTC so special and follow our progress via the link in bio.
#giveback
#communityweek
#college
#oxford
