Green Templeton College, Oxford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Green Templeton College |
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The Radcliffe Observatory,
now part of Green Templeton College |
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Blazon: Or between two Flaunches Vert on each a Nautilus Shell the aperture outwards Or a Rod of Aesculapius Sable the Serpent Azure
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| University | University of Oxford | |||||||||||
| Coordinates | 51°45′40″N 1°15′46″W / 51.761223°N 1.262866°W | |||||||||||
| Established | 2008 | |||||||||||
| Named for | Cecil Howard Green and Sir John Templeton | |||||||||||
| Sister college | St Edmund's College, Cambridge | |||||||||||
| Principal | Sir Michael Dixon | |||||||||||
| Undergraduates | 98 (Dec. 2021) | |||||||||||
| Postgraduates | 544 (Dec. 2021) | |||||||||||
| Boat club | Green Templeton Boat Club | |||||||||||
| Map | ||||||||||||
 Location in Oxford city centre
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Green Templeton College (GTC) is a special college at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located in North Oxford on Woodstock Road. The college is built around the beautiful Radcliffe Observatory. This building is from the 1700s and looks like the ancient Tower of the Winds in Athens.
GTC is one of Oxford's newest colleges for graduate students. It was created in 2008. This happened when two older colleges, Green College and Templeton College, joined together.
The college focuses on subjects that help people and the world. These include health, business, and social sciences. It also looks at environmental well-being.
Green Templeton College has a sister college at the University of Cambridge. It is called St Edmund's College.
Contents
How Green Templeton College Started
The joining of Green College and Templeton College was a big event. It was the first time two Oxford colleges had merged in modern history. The university approved the merger in July 2007.
Both Green College and Templeton College welcomed both male and female students. Green Templeton College continues this tradition. Even though both colleges were quite new for Oxford, they each had their own unique history.
Green College's Story
Green College began in 1979. It was created for graduate students studying medicine and related fields. It also encouraged academic programs linked to industry.
The college was named after its main supporters, Cecil Howard Green and his wife, Ida Green. Cecil H. Green was the founder of Texas Instruments. His kindness helped start three colleges.
About 30% of Green College students studied medicine. Another 20% did medical research. Other students focused on social work, environmental changes, and education.
Templeton College's Story
Templeton College started in 1965. It was first known as the Oxford Centre for Management Studies. Sir John Templeton gave a large gift to the centre in 1983. This gift helped improve business management in Britain. It was one of the biggest gifts ever given to a British school.
The centre was later renamed Templeton College in his honor. The college wanted to help people keep learning throughout their lives. It brought together leaders to discuss important topics in management.
Its buildings were in Egrove Park, near Oxford. They opened in 1969. In 1999, the college received a special royal charter. This made it a full college.
Understanding the College's Coat of Arms
Green Templeton College has a special coat of arms. It combines parts from the old coats of arms of Green College and Templeton College. This shows the history and spirit of both colleges.
The main part of the shield has two symbols. These are the rod of Aesculapius and the Nautilus shell. The rod of Aesculapius was the main symbol for Green College. In Greek stories, Aesculapius was a healer. The snake wrapped around his staff shows healing.
Sir John Templeton chose the Nautilus shell. He felt it showed growth and new beginnings. Templeton College adopted it in 1984.
The college's crest shows the Sun with a symbol for Venus. This remembers a special event in 1761. That year, Venus passed in front of the Sun. This event led to the building of the Radcliffe Observatory.
Buildings and Grounds to Explore
The college is on a three-acre site in North Oxford. This is where Green College used to be. The main building is the Radcliffe Observatory. It is a very important 18th-century building. It looks like the ancient Tower of the Winds in Athens.
The Radcliffe Observatory's History
The observatory was built because of Thomas Hornsby. He was an astronomy professor. He used his room to watch Venus cross the Sun in 1769. This event helped improve maps for ships.
The observatory was built with money from John Radcliffe. His wealth also paid for other buildings at Oxford. Building started in 1772. The architect Henry Keene began the work.
After Keene died, James Wyatt finished the observatory. Wyatt based his design on a drawing of the Tower of the Winds. This drawing was from a book published in 1762.
The top of the observatory is the Tower of Winds. Below it are three floors. The ground floor is now the college dining room. The first floor was a library, but now it is a common room for students. The top floor is an observation room. It is mostly empty now, except for some old furniture.
The observatory worked from 1773 until 1934. Its owners sold it to Lord Nuffield. He then gave it to the Radcliffe Hospital. In 1936, Lord Nuffield started a medical research institute there. In 1979, the institute moved. Green College then took over the observatory.
The Norham Gardens Site
A short walk from the main college is 13 Norham Gardens. In 1905, Sir William Osler became a top medicine professor at Oxford. In 1907, he bought 13 Norham Gardens. It was one of Oxford's nicest houses.
For 14 years, Osler made Norham Gardens a place for scholars. Medical students, doctors, and scientists loved to visit. It was even called 'The Open Arms' because it was so welcoming.
After Osler, other professors lived there. The last was Sir Richard Doll. Then, Green College bought the property.
Today, Norham Gardens is home to the Osler-McGovern Centre. This centre promotes medicine through workshops and conferences. It brings together scholars, just like Sir William Osler did. It also houses the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ), which started in 2006.
Student Housing at GTC
Green Templeton College offers housing on its main site and in other buildings. On-site housing includes the Doll Building with 30 rooms. The Walton Building has 3 rooms, Observer's House has 13, and New Block has 4.
The college also has rooms in Lord Napier House. There are terraced houses on Observatory Street. Students can also find rooms on St Margaret's Road. There are flats in Rewley Abbey Court and Norham Gardens.
College Facilities for Students
Green Templeton has laundry rooms for students. It also has a lecture theatre called the Abraham Lecture Theatre. There is a seminar room called the Barclay Room. A computer room with 6 Windows computers is also available.
There are two libraries open 24 hours a day. One is for management studies. The other is for medical and social sciences. Since 2014, the college has a gym. It is 171 square meters and has rowing machines, bikes, treadmills, and weights.
Future Plans for the College
The college plans to expand the area to the north-east. This will allow for more academic departments. It will also provide more housing for students.
Student Life at Green Templeton
As a college for graduate students, GTC has one common room. It is called the Graduate Common Room (GCR). This helps students and teachers connect and interact.
Green Templeton offers many activities. Clubs include the Boat Club, Book Club, and Choir. There are also societies for LGBT students, medical anthropology, and music.
College events include a Garden Party and a Summer Ball. There is also a Human Welfare Conference. Students enjoy "Welfare and Wine" events and formal dinners. Themed "bops" (parties) are held throughout the year. The college also hosts interesting lectures.
The college is very active in sports, especially rowing. It shares a boathouse on the River Isis. The Green Templeton Boat Club has been very successful since 2008. Other sports include badminton, basketball, cricket, football, and tennis. The college has its own tennis and squash courts. All students can also use the Iffley Road Sports Centre for free.
The college bar, called the Stables Bar, is open in the evenings. It is also a meeting place during the day.
Green Templeton is involved in charity work. It supports a local and an international charity each year. The GCR and the College Charity Committee organize many events for good causes.
The college has strong ties with the medical community. This is through its link with Osler House. Osler House is Oxford University's club for medical students. It welcomes students and teachers doing health research. Osler House has a friendly atmosphere with a games room. It has pool and table football.
The college publishes a newsletter called In Transit every term. It also has an annual magazine for former students called The GTC Magazine. The Graduate Common Room sends out a weekly email newsletter.
People Connected to Green Templeton College
College Leaders (Principals)
- Colin Bundy, the first Principal of Green Templeton College.
- Sir Richard Doll, a famous scientist who studied diseases. He was the first leader of Green College.
- Michael Earl, a Pro-Vice Chancellor at Oxford University.
- Sir Crispin Tickell, a diplomat and environmental expert. He was the third leader of Green College.
- Michael von Clemm, an American businessman and anthropologist. He was a former President of Templeton College.
- Lord Walton of Detchant, a politician. He was the second leader of Green College.
Important Teachers (Fellows)
- Kunal Basu, an author.
- Dame Valerie Beral, a scientist who studies diseases.
- Rory Collins, another scientist who studies diseases.
- E. David Cook, a theologian.
- Sarah Darby, a scientist who studies diseases.
- Sir Vernon Ellis, a former Chair of the British Council.
- Peter Friend, a surgeon and professor.
- Anna Gloyn, a geneticist and endocrinologist.
- Sanjaya Lall, an economist.
- John Lennox, an Irish mathematician.
- Sir Richard Peto, a scientist who studies diseases.
- Stein Ringen, a sociologist and political scientist.
- Rosemary Stewart, a business expert.
- Steve Woolgar, a sociologist.
- Neil Mortensen, a professor of colorectal surgery.
Well-Known Former Students (Alumni)
- Ron Emerson, who helped start the British Business Bank.
- Derrick Gosselin, an engineer and economist.
- Nancy Hubbard, an American business professor.
- Beverly Leon, a former soccer player and CEO.
- Stephen Robert Morse, a journalist and filmmaker.
- Baron von Pfetten, a French professor and former ambassador.
- Notis Mitarachi, a Greek politician and former Minister.
Images for kids
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Top of Radcliffe Observatory, Green Templeton College, Oxford.
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Observers House, Green Templeton College, Oxford.
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A view of the gardens, Green Templeton College, Oxford.
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Lankester Quad, Green Templeton College, Oxford.
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Green Templeton College in the snow, Oxford.
See also
In Spanish: Green Templeton College para niños
- Alumni of Green Templeton College
- Fellows of Green Templeton College
