Oxford University has nominated Professor Richardson,
who is the principal and vice-chancellor of the University of St
Andrews, to succeed the current vice-chancellor, Andrew Hamilton, at the
start of 2016.
Her nomination must now be approved by Congregation, Oxford’s parliament of dons.
She said:
“I
feel enormously privileged to be given the opportunity to lead this
remarkable institution during an exciting time for higher education.
I
am very much looking forward to working with talented, experienced and
dedicated colleagues to advance Oxford’s pre-eminent global position in
research, scholarship and teaching."
It was later reported
that Alex Salmond, then first minister of Scotland, attempted to demand
she issue a clarification and a statement praising the Scottish
government.
Professor Richardson has led St
Andrews for six years and was previously executive dean of the Radcliffe
Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. In a message to
staff and students at St Andrews she said that she had “mixed emotions”
about leaving the institution, which had provided her with the “most
rewarding and enjoyable” years of her professional life.
Lord
Patten of Barnes, chancellor of Oxford and chair of the nominating
committee, said that the panel had been “deeply impressed” by Professor
Richardson's “strong commitment to the education and scholarly values
which Oxford holds dear”.
“Her distinguished
record both as an educational leader and as an outstanding scholar
provides an excellent basis for her to lead Oxford in the coming years,”
he added.
Professor Hamilton, who is to become
president of New York University, said he was delighted by her
nomination and wished her every success in the position. “The role of
vice-chancellor is both challenging and rewarding and I look forward to
making the transition as smooth and straightforward as possible in the
coming months,” he said.
St Andrews said that
Professor Richardson has overseen “one of the most successful chapters
in the 600-year history of the university” and the search for her
successor would start immediately.
Professor Richardson, who was born in the Republic of Ireland, is a scholar in the field of terrorism and security studies.
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