CONFERENCE OXFORD NEWSLETTER

MAY 2008

Welcome to our Encaenia Summer 2008 newsletter

Our Spring newsletter is all about meeting rooms. One of the marvellous things about the and is that they offer such variety ‘ ncaenia’ is the ceremony at which the awards honorary degrees - from the to distinguished men and women and commemorates its benefactors. It is held contemporary to a Eannually on the Wednesday of ninth week during Trinity Term. traditional 13th century room equipped Encaenia is a Greek word for a festival of renewal; in St John's Gospel it is traditionally with all the latest AV translated as 'festival of dedication'. equipment. Our conference rooms are The Oxford Encaenia is the surviving part of a more extensive ceremony called 'The Act'. available all year for This used to include ambitious musical works, often composed for the occasion, and one to one interviews traditional features such as a satirical speech, often scurrilous and sometimes scandalous, to larger meetings of by an anonymous speaker known as Terrae Filius, 'Son of the Earth'. The Act was originally 450, and conference held in St Mary's Church, a setting many people thought unsuitable. This prompted its move opening addresses in 1670 to the Sheldonian Theatre. By 1760 the ceremony had assumed a form much like it and award ceremonies has today. It was largely reshaped by the will of Nathaniel, Lord Crewe (1633–1721), for up to 1000 successively Rector of Lincoln , Bishop of Oxford and Bishop of Durham. delegates. On the morning of the ceremony, the Heads of Colleges, University dignitaries and the You may like to join us honorands assemble, in full , in one of the Colleges, where they enjoy Lord on one of our Crewe's benefaction of peaches, strawberries and champagne. They then walk in familiarisation trips procession to the Sheldonian Theatre on Broad Street. The University dignitaries enter in and see what we can procession; those who are to receive honorary degrees wait in the Divinity School, where offer, or you may they sign their names in the Honorary Degrees Book. They are then escorted into the prefer to have a theatre by the bedels. Once the proceedings have been opened by the Chancellor, each bespoke showround. honorand is introduced by the Public Orator with a speech in Latin and admitted to his or So please do call us and we look forward her new degree by the Chancellor. The Orator then delivers the Creweian Oration on the seeing you in Oxford. events of the past year and in commemoration of the University's benefactors. In alternate years, the Professor of Poetry delivers the second part of this speech. Sally Dunsmore Director Leading scientists, an administrator, a philosopher and a soprano are among an international group of six men and women who will receive honorary degrees from Oxford University this year. The honorands will be awarded their degrees at Encaenia on Wednesday 18 June 2008.

Article can be viewed in full on www.ox.ac.uk/about_the_university/university_year/encaenia.html

2 CONFERENCE OXFORD Saïd Business Magdalen School College Harvard Lecture Theatres Magdalen Grove Auditorium

agdalen Grove Auditorium was designed by architect Dr Demetri Porphyrios as part of a new quadrangle Mfor Magdalen College, completed in 1998.

The entrance to the auditorium offers space for receptions and exhibitions and houses a collection of tapestries designed by John Piper.

The auditorium itself has an impressive vaulted wooden ceiling and tiered seating for 160. Around the walls are 20 17th- and 18th-century architects’ paintings – proposals for alterations and additions to the College, most of which never came to fruition.

Considerable attention has been paid to the acoustic standards of the auditorium and voice amplification is only At the Saïd Business School, designed by Jeremy needed for special circumstances, for example, to provide Dixon and Edward Jones, we are very fortunate to induction loop amplification for those equipped with an Ahave four lecture theatres designed on the Harvard appropriate hearing aid. A Steinway B grand piano is located principle, the aim of which is to encourage student and in a small wing to one side of the stage and is available for delegate interaction and participation. Two of the theatres concerts. The projection room is equipped not only with the seat 80 people and two seat 120. The space is less formal ubiquitous data projector, DVD player and sound system, than the traditional tiered lecture theatre, but everybody still but also 35 mm and 16 mm reel-to-reel cinema projectors, has his/her own desk. Due to the nature of the materials inherited from the Barbican Centre, offering a unique film used, the lecture theatres are also more modern, experience. minimalist and stylish in appearance than most. They lend Magdalen Grove themselves very well to interactive discussions, single Auditorium is an speaker presentations, panel discussions and company excellent venue presentations. They are where most of the School’s degree for scientific programme teaching takes place, but are also available conferences, year-round for external clients to book. lectures, The lecture theatres resemble small amphitheatres, not chamber music only in the way they look, but also in the fact that they are and recitals, and very good acoustically (meaning that microphones are not is available generally necessary). They come equipped with full throughout the audiovisual equipment. The lecture theatres fit in very well year for day with the general appearance of the School, and are located meetings. close to areas both indoors and outdoors that are ideal for catering and networking receptions.

CONFERENCE OXFORD 3 St Hugh’s Wolfson College College The Haldane Room he site on which Wolfson College Restoration of the Mordan Hall stands was formerly occupied by Tthe home of J.S. Haldane, who was Oxford Professor of Physiology and one of a distinguished family of academics and statesmen. His son, J.B.S. Haldane, started his scientific education at the age of eight, as his father’s assistant. ‘J.B.S.’ later became very distinguished as a geneticist, biometrician, physiologist and political thinker. Much of J.S. Haldane’s work was associated with the physiology of breathing, especially in connection with coal mining. In 1907, he developed a method of stage decompression that made it possible for a ver the last five years, conference business at St deep-sea diver to ascend to the surface safely. If ‘J.B.S.’ Hugh’s College has more than doubled. This has was still assisting his father – and it seems likely that he Obeen as a result of improved facilities and a focus was – he would have been 15 at the time. The pressure on quality of service. chambers that were used for these experiments were in situ

As part of the ongoing programme of improvements, last when the site became available to Wolfson College. September St Hugh’s embarked on the complete The Haldane Room a splendid wood-panelled room that can transformation of an entire wing of their soon-to-be Grade II comfortably seat 100 in theatre style. It is situated close to listed main building. This is one of the most ambitious the Dining Room and has views of the garden. It is available refurbishment projects the College has ever undertaken and year-round for meetings, lectures and dinners. The cartoons has included the restoration of the Mordan Hall and the hanging on the walls represent the Signs of the Evangelist creation of new conference space. Formerly the College and are on loan from the Ashmolean Museum. They were Library, the Hall itself has been completely refurbished, created by the 19th-century artist Philip Webb, for the enhanced with air conditioning and fitted with state-of-the- stained-glass windows in the church of St Michael and All art audiovisual provision, while retaining the delightful old- Angels at Scarborough. world character, panelling and vaulted ceiling. For further information and to make a booking, please In addition to the Mordan Hall, capable of seating up to 134 contact Karl Davies on: [email protected] people, four new seminar rooms have been created as well as two open gallery areas. Each of the seminar rooms is furnished to an excellent standard, including interactive Smartboards suitable either for presentations or as an electronic flipchart for capturing and sharing ideas. A mobile video-conferencing unit is also available. Two attractive galleries link the suite of rooms and are ideal as exhibition spaces or as areas for registration and refreshments.

St Hugh’s has always prided itself on its wonderful location, space and grounds. To discuss your individual event requirements or for more information on the Mordan Hall suite, please visit: www.st-hughs.ox.ac.uk/conferences or contact the Conference Office on: 01865 274424 or email: [email protected]

4 CONFERENCE OXFORD Keble College Jesus College Day Meeting Venue at Memorial Room and Harold 23 Banbury Road Wilson Room

e recognise that there is a huge demand for ollowing the opening of the new day meeting facilities within Oxford. We purpose-built Junior Common Room F(JCR), the decision was taken to create Wappreciate that many companies are restricted by lack of space in their city offices and do not want to a modern classroom and lecture room, waste time in unproductive meetings with less than ideal including a small adjoining reception room, conditions. The solution is to take your at the site of the old JCR. employees/business associates away from the day-to-day working environment and transport them to a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere that will inspire their thinking processes.

Keble College now has the answer with its new day meeting venue at 23 Banbury Road. This is a large Victorian townhouse that has been carefully refurbished to a high specification providing a comfortable and peaceful meeting space in the centre of Oxford.

There are four meeting rooms of varying sizes, all of which have large sash windows providing lots of natural light and fresh air. The largest of the four rooms looks The new lecture room, the Memorial Room, was designed to out onto a landscaped garden which, weather permitting, include the newest technology and teaching aides, while delegates are welcome to use. The front of the building retaining the traditional oak panelling with inscriptions provides parking spaces for 10 to 12 cars. We are able to dedicated to college members that gave their lives in both accommodate meetings of up to 60 delegates and it is an world wars. The original fireplace complete with toasting accessible venue. plates was also retained, and the general atmosphere is The venue can be ‘old meets new’. booked as a whole or The reception room was included to allow beverages and you may like to use light snacks to be served in close vicinity to the Memorial just one or two rooms Room, but also to act as a break-out room or a teaching – the choice is yours. room in its own right. A traditional fireplace and several wall Our day delegate rate hangings commemorating the former Prime Minister Harold includes: hire of the Wilson (a former Old Member, to whom this room was meeting room, dedicated) set the backdrop to a rather informal room, with refreshments, water, buffet lunch and audiovisual comfortable chairs and carpeting. equipment. Clients will have a dedicated Conference Manager from Keble who will ensure all their Both rooms are very popular with conference groups , and requirements are in place for the start of their meeting. can also be hired on a daily basis, either individually, or as a two-room package. Keble is very proud of this venue and if you would like to arrange a time to look at the facilities, please call us on: The Memorial Room can seat up to 40 in theatre style with 01865 272789. We look forward to hearing from you. the adjoining Harold Wilson Room holding 30 for a buffet very comfortably.

For information and booking please contact Rosemary Frame on: 01865 279716

CONFERENCE OXFORD 5 Familiarization Trips Are Familiarization Trips worthwhile? The answer to this question is a resounding ‘Yes’.

n the second day of my new job as Office Administrator, I was told I would be visiting three Colleges as research for possible meeting venues as part Oof my role within the team. This was an excellent start to my new job – being wined and dined with fine food, and given a VIP tour everywhere! Little did I know that two years on I would still be going on these trips, and still researching different colleges as possible meeting venues.

I have just come back from my sixth Fam Trip with Conference Oxford, having visited Saïd Business School, Somerville College and St Benet’s Hall – all very different venues, offering differing types of meeting room, accommodation and services.

I have learnt the importance of having the correct venue for different events. Using feedback from both colleagues and delegates, I can now judge which venues are worth considering for these. I have subsequently booked numerous events at a number of colleges following my trips.

The normal request is for a colleague to come to me stating they need to plan a future event, and asking where best to hold this. Obviously, the more places I have visited, the better the decision will be. If, however, I have any doubt about this, I always know that Conference Oxford will be able to help.

I am very much looking forward to the next Fam Trip, and the next …

Diana Calvert UK Climate Impacts Programme Oxford University Centre for the Environment

Familiarisation Trips Summer 2008

20th June 10.30am Coffee Egrove Park www.sbs.ox.ac.uk 11.30am Pre-lunch drinks Corpus Christ College www.ccc.ox.ac.uk 12.30pm Lunch Oriel College www.oriel.ox.ac.uk

25th July 10.30am Coffee St Edmund Hall www.seh.ox.ac.uk 11.30am Tour Examination Schools www.admin.ox.ac.uk/schools 12.30pm Lunch Christ Church www.chch.ox.ac.uk

For further information please contact: Marie O’Connor on 01865 287378 or 01865 287377 or by email: [email protected]

6 CONFERENCE OXFORD COLLEGE SNIPPETS Balliol College The Queen’s Chef of the Year Competition College hree Balliol College chefs Bertrand Faucheux, Christopher Way and Tim Gills have won three Queen’s Lane Quad Tsections in the TUCO Chef of the Year Competition at he Queen’s College is committed to improving Blackpool Hotel School: facilities for its students and conference guests. • Best Newcomers TThis year sees the reopening of its Queen’s Lane • Best Sweet Quad, which was refurbished ready for the start of the current academic year, adding en-suite facilities and • Best Hygiene and Safety Standards furnishing the rooms to a high standard. The rooms at Balliol are the first team ever to win three sections in the the front and side have stunning views of the High history of this competition. The winning menu was: Street.

Oxfordshire crayfish and lemongrass consommé, pike A further 40 bedrooms on the Grade 1 listed Back tortellini Quad were also refurbished with the inclusion of en- suite facilities. These rooms, situated as they are in Rack of lamb, white cocoa beans, pumpkin, roasted shallot, the Main College, benefit from the charm of original Swiss chard, and thyme jus features and oddly shaped rooms! The College will be Chocolate and peanut praline able to offer 111 en-suite rooms to complement its Apple clafoutis, apple sorbet, Pommeau jelly seven meeting rooms, which can variously seat between 25 and 115 delegates.

The College is continuing its refurbishment programme with an exciting project to build a new state-of-the-art kitchen to replace its current facility, which was built in the 1960s. The new kitchen will be extended underneath the Back Quad and will be the most complicated building project in the College since the current buildings were erected. The project is due to commence in the summer of 2008 and will take approximately 18 months to complete.

For booking information please contact: [email protected]

Very well done to Bertrand, Chris and Tim and to the whole Balliol Kitchen Team who have supported them through the weeks of practising and late-night timed cook-offs!

CONFERENCE OXFORD 7 COLLEGE SNIPPETS University College University Club Boat House n 2007, University College opened its new boat house. This beautiful design with its emphasis on lightness and Ipanoramic views, replaces the historic Victorian building that was for years the home to the Oxford University Boat Club and that was burnt down in 1999. The building was designed by Shahriah Nasser of Belsize Architects. The fully accessible Club Room has gives on to the to the covered terraces overlooking the Isis and is an ideal place for away days, board room retreats, training days and corporate hospitality.

he decision was taken last year to open the University Club only for function business at the Tweekend. As such it provides a first class venue for private parties, dinners and wedding receptions.

For those who seek more informal, modern surroundings, the Club can be transformed from its’ weekday ‘sports café bar’ appearance to an elegant, bright space with food to rival most of Oxford’s Restaurants, from a formal dinner for Professor Stephen Hawkins to a regular breakfast meeting OXFORD PICTURE LIBRARY/CHRIS ANDREWS for the Vice Chancellor. The Club also offers a number of well appointed bedrooms throughout the year. St. Anne’s College Additionally the Club can offer exclusive use of its’ football/cricket pitch and all weather, flood-lit, 5-aside Chef Award football/tennis court for those who want to include a bit of sport with their corporate/staff BBQ or Pig Roast. ince the last issue of the Newsletter, St Anne’s Senior Second Chef - Andrew Castle - has come Officially opened by the Vice Chancellor on 9th June 2004, S2nd in the highly acclaimed University Chef of the the Club, although very modern in design, sits comfortably Year competition at Hotelympia in London. This is the amongst Oxford’s ancient architecture. With its’ glass roof catering industry’s top event and is scheduled in and french doors, on the side which overlooks the playing alternate years. In 2006, Andrew came 3rd. In 2010, fields and Parks beyond, an abundance of natural light Andrew will come….? We are backing him to win! chases away the winter blues for all those within.

The menu – prepared and cooked in 90 minutes – was: A relaxed atmosphere is encouraged and the staff, many of whom are moonlighting students, offer an efficient and Faggots and Peas (Smoked trout and horseradish friendly service as well as an insight into life in Oxford. faggot, pea puree and beetroot chutney) For more information please contact: Steak and Onion Pie (Fillet steak, on caramelised onion [email protected] and shiitake mushroom tarte tatin)

Rhubarb and Custard (Vanilla pannacotta and rhubarb soup)

CONFERENCE OXFORD Did you know…? Women at Oxford

omen were not admitted to membership of the University until 1920, although they had been Wallowed to sit some University examinations and attend lectures for over 40 years before that. The five women’s societies (Lady Margaret Hall, Somerville, St Hugh’s, St Hilda’s and St Anne’s) were granted full collegiate status in 1959, which allowed their students to become full graduates of the University on passing their final exams. Today, only St Hilda’s remains single sex, although it will admit both men and women from October 2008. In 1973, Balliol was the first of the traditional all- male colleges to elect a woman as a Fellow and Tutor. Oxford currently has eight female ‘Heads of House’.

For more information on women at Oxford and distinguished female alumnae check out www.ox.ac.uk/about_the_university/introducing_oxford/wom en_at_oxford"

Can you name these Oxford alumnae?

Answers on our web page: www.conference-oxford.co.uk

For enquiries, a brochure, and further details of conference and event facilities at the University of Oxford and the Colleges, contact:

CONFERENCE OXFORD, THE PAINTED ROOM 118 HIGH STREET, OXFORD OX1 4BX CONFERENCE OXFORD Telephone/fax: +44 (0)1865 276190 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.conference-oxford.co.uk