Professor becomes second woman in Oxford University's history to be installed as Vice-Chancellor

  • Meridian

  • Professer Irene Tracey has been speaking to ITV Meridian's Natalie Verney.

The new Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University says she's passionate about giving more students from diverse backgrounds the chance to study there.

Professor Irene Tracey is only the second woman to hold the position in its 800 year history.

At a ceremony earlier today (Tuesday 10 January), she spoke of her ties to the city having attended a local state school and the university.

But she also addressed a number of challenges including the need to improve pay and working conditions for staff and preserving the university's place as a world leader in learning.

Professor Irene Tracey was welcomed into her new role during a ceremony at Oxford's Sheldonian Theatre. Credit: ITV News Meridian

Professor Tracey said: "I went to a terrific local school, Gosford Hill, and had fantastic inspirational teachers.

"Being a person that's been involved with admissions to the University for Medicine, it's always been my passion and desire that the pipeline coming to us is full and diverse and that any student who feels that this might be the right environment for them can come and study and put their hat in the ring.

"So we will continue with our mission to get out there and our message, our stories about what we're about and encourage people to apply to Oxford if they think that's for them.

"But of course, there's many other wonderful universities as well here in the UK."

  • Professor Tracey speaks of her immeasurable pride.

Professor Irene Tracey is the former Warden of Merton College, Oxford, her alma mater - one of Oxford's oldest undergraduate and graduate colleges, dating back to 1264.

She is also a Professor of Anaesthetic Neuroscience in the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (without portfolio) at the University of Oxford.

Professor Tracey was born in Oxford and attended Gosford Hill, a local comprehensive school, before undertaking her undergraduate and graduate studies in biochemistry at the University of Oxford.

Her graduate research focused on the early use of magnetic resonance imaging methods to study disease mechanisms in humans.

Professor Tracey received a CBE last year for services to medical research Credit: ITV News Meridian

Until recently, Professor Tracey was also Head of the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences - a 550-person department of scientists and clinicians drawn from neurology, ophthalmology and anaesthetics.

Over the past 20 years, her multidisciplinary research team has contributed to a better understanding of pain perception, pain relief and nociceptive processing within the injured and non-injured human central nervous system, using advanced neuroimaging techniques and novel paradigm designs.

Alongside senior leadership roles within the University, Irene has served and continues to serve on many national and international committees, such as the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), the British Neuroscience Association and the Lundbeck Brain Prize Committee.

In the New Year's Honours List 2022, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Majesty The Queen for services to Medical Research.