Oxford to get its first-ever female vice-chancellor

The UK’s oldest university, the Oxford University has nominated its first-ever female vice-chancellor, nearly 800 years after the role was created.

Professor Louise Richardson, currently the principal and vicechancellor of the University of St Andrews, will be appointed by the university’s legislative body known as ‘congregation’ to start her new role by January 2016.

“Oxford is one of the world’s great universities. I feel enormously privileged to be given the opportunity to lead this remarkable institution during an exciting time for higher education,” the 56-year-old academic said.

Oxford cur rently has 11 female heads of house. Prof Richardson’s appointment will make her Oxford’s first female holder of the post since the first leader was appointed nearly eight centuries ago in 1230.

Known for her work on terrorism and security studies, she is due to take over from Oxford’s current vice-chancellor Professor Andrew Hamilton.