Oxford University’s Schwarzman Centre reaches construction milestone

By Sam Pither

30 November 2022

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A project commencement ceremony has been held on the site of Oxford University’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities.

The ceremony represents an important milestone in the single biggest capital project ever carried out at Oxford University. It marks the conclusion of preparatory construction work and the clearance of the site ready for the main construction to begin. The Centre is on track to be completed in 2025.

The Centre will boost teaching and research in the humanities at Oxford University and provide them with a new home which brings together seven faculties, the Institute for Ethics in AI, the Oxford Internet Institute, and a new humanities library. It has been made possible by a £175 million gift from Stephen A. Schwarzman, who is the Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Blackstone, one of the world’s leading investment firms. This is the largest donation in the University’s history.

Professor Dame Louise Richardson, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, said: “I am delighted that the construction of the fabulous Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities is now underway. This centre will be transformative for the Humanities at Oxford and for the city, its residents and visitors. While we await the opening of the building in 2025 the Institute for Ethics in AI and the Humanities Cultural Programme are offering a vibrant academic and cultural programme which engages Oxford students, academics and the wider world. We are forever indebted to Mr Schwarzman for this extraordinarily generous gift.”

Mr Schwarzman said: “I’m incredibly proud and excited to see the new Centre for the Humanities come to life. It will benefit Oxford students, faculty and the community for years to come and help Oxford best apply its global leadership in the Humanities to some of the most pressing questions of the 21st Century.”

The Centre will house a full suite of high-quality exhibition and performance spaces, allowing public audiences to engage more deeply with the University. It will be a model for the essential role of the humanities in helping the world to confront some of the most pressing questions and challenges it faces today.

The Centre has already had a significant impact in its early years, and recent developments include the appointment of John Fulljames as the Director of the Humanities Cultural Programme (HCP). He was previously Director of Opera at the Royal Danish Opera and Royal Danish Orchestra. The HCP has already reached more than 700,000 people with its programme of events so far.

Another recent development is the growth of the Institute for Ethics in AI to a team of over ten researchers who regularly release innovative research on the ethical considerations of AI, in turn shaping the wider conversation on this critical issue. The Institute’s researchers are also teaching a course on the topic to Oxford University undergraduates, and hold regular public events including a lecture in May 2022 by Demis Hassabis, Founder and CEO of DeepMind.

By Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset.

A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise.

Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.