The University of Oxford

University of Oxford

Coat of arms
Latin: Universitas Oxoniensis
Motto	Dominus Illuminatio Mea (Latin)
Motto in English	"The Lord is my Light"
Established	c. 1096
Endowment	£4.775 billion (inc. colleges) 2014-15
Chancellor	Chris Patten
Vice-Chancellor	Louise Richardson
Academic staff	1,791
Students	22,602 (December 2015)
Undergraduates	11,603 (2015)
Postgraduates	10,499 (2015)
Other students	500
Location	Oxford, England, UK
Colours	Oxford blue
Athletics	The Sporting Blue
Affiliations	IARU Russell Group Europaeum EUA Golden Triangle G5 LERU SES
Website	ox.ac.uk

Coordinates: 51°45′40″N 1°15′12″W / 51.7611°N 1.2534°W / 51.7611; -1.2534

The University of Oxford (informally Oxford University or simply Oxford) is a collegiate research university located in Oxford, England. It has no known date of foundation, but there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's second-oldest university in continuous operation. It grew rapidly from 1167 when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris. After disputes between students and Oxford townsfolk in 1209, some academics fled north-east to Cambridge where they established what became the University of Cambridge. The two "ancient universities" are frequently jointly referred to as "Oxbridge".

The university is made up of a variety of institutions, including 38 constituent colleges and a full range of academic departments which are organised into four divisions. All the colleges are self-governing institutions within the university, each controlling its own membership and with its own internal structure and activities. Being a city university, it does not have a main campus; instead, its buildings and facilities are scattered throughout the city centre. Most undergraduate teaching at Oxford is organised around weekly tutorials at the colleges and halls, supported by classes, lectures and laboratory work provided by university faculties and departments.