Past Courses
A record of the scholars, colleges, and ideas that have shaped The Oxford Exchange since 2023.
Programme History
University College
Founded 1249
University College — affectionately known as 'Univ' — was the site of our very first Great Books cohort in 2023, making it the birthplace of what is now the Jeremy Bentham Scholars programme. Oxford's oldest college, founded in 1249, Univ remains one of our active partner colleges to this day, and its historic halls and intimate tutorial rooms continue to provide the ideal setting for the intellectual rigour The Oxford Exchange demands.
Brasenose College
Founded 1509
Brasenose College hosted a cohort of United States military cadets for an intensive International Business course — one of the most academically distinguished programmes in our history. The calibre of scholarship was exceptional: two of the cadets subsequently had their Oxford Exchange papers published in peer-reviewed academic journals, a testament to the standard of intellectual engagement The Oxford Exchange fosters.
Oriel College
Founded 1326
Oriel College is our flagship college partner. A royal foundation established in 1326, Oriel has hosted Jeremy Bentham Scholars and other Oxford Exchange cohorts since 2024 and will be the principal site of our 2027 programmes. Its distinguished alumni — from Sir Walter Raleigh to Cecil Rhodes — and its position at the heart of the historic city make it the natural home for The Oxford Exchange's most ambitious work.
What Scholars Say
“The Oxford Exchange provided an unparalleled academic experience. The calibre of the professors, the historic setting, and the intellectual rigour of the programme exceeded every expectation. It was a transformative week that I will carry with me throughout my career.”
“I've lived a lifetime in a week! This summer, I had the illuminating opportunity to join a global cohort of learners, professionals, and educators as a Jeremy Bentham Scholar through The Oxford Exchange. Through their rigorous programme, I was able to step back into the role of a student and dive into diverse disciplines.”
Cohort Photographs
A record of the scholars, educators, and moments that have defined The Oxford Exchange.
— The Oxford Exchange 2024 —
Great Books Programme — Class of 2024
The OEX 24-1s cohort photo taken in the Percy Shelley Memorial at University College, Oxford (the 2nd Dead Poets Society).
— The Oxford Exchange 2023 —
Great Books Programme Class of 2023
OEX 23-1s cohort photo in the Percy Shelley Memorial at University College, Oxford (the first meeting of The Oxford Exchange's Dead Poets Society).
— The Oxford Exchange 2023 —
Great Books Programme Class of 2023
OEX 23-1s cohort photo before the end-of-course formal drinks & dinner at University College, Oxford.
— The Citadel · The Oxford Exchange 2024 —
The Oxford Exchange Military Academy Class of 2024
Military cadets were welcome to wear their dress uniforms to commemorate the inaugural course in the summer of 2024.
An Exclusive Privilege
Your Bodleian Library Card
Every Oxford Exchange adult scholar receives a Bodleian Library Reader's Card — granting access to one of the world's greatest repositories of knowledge, housed in the very heart of Oxford.
Duke Humfrey's Library, Bodleian Library, University of Oxford
The Bodleian Library
Founded in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley, the Bodleian is the principal research library of the University of Oxford and one of the oldest libraries in Europe. It is a legal deposit library, meaning it is entitled to a copy of every book published in the United Kingdom — a collection that now numbers over thirteen million items.
The Bodleian has served as a place of scholarship for more than four centuries, its reading rooms welcoming figures as varied as Oscar Wilde, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and countless heads of state. It famously refused to lend books even to King Charles I, upholding a principle of preservation over privilege that endures to this day.
The library's complex of buildings spans Broad Street and Radcliffe Square, encompassing the iconic Radcliffe Camera, the Clarendon Building, and the Weston Library — together forming one of the most architecturally distinguished scholarly precincts in the world.
Duke Humfrey's Library
At the heart of the Bodleian lies Duke Humfrey's Library — the oldest reading room in Oxford, completed in 1488 and named after Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, whose bequest of some 281 manuscripts to the University formed its founding collection.
The room is a masterpiece of late-medieval craftsmanship. Its elaborately painted and gilded coffered ceiling, bearing the arms of the University and its benefactors, stretches above floor-to-ceiling oak shelving lined with centuries-old volumes chained in the medieval fashion. The painted panels between the bays display the coats of arms of Oxford's great donors across the ages.
Duke Humfrey's has appeared on screen as the Hogwarts library in the Harry Potter films and as a backdrop in numerous period dramas — yet no cinematic recreation can match the experience of sitting within its walls as a reader, surrounded by manuscripts that predate the printing press.
As an Oxford Exchange scholar, your Reader's Card opens the door to this extraordinary space — and to the full breadth of the Bodleian's collections — for the duration of your course and beyond.
Join the Next Cohort
Applications are now open for the next Jeremy Bentham Scholars programme. Places are strictly limited — we welcome senior leaders, educators, and professionals who are ready for a week that will change how they think.
Planning for 2027?
Request our 2027 Prospectus and discover the full range of Oxford Exchange programmes.
Request a 2027 Prospectus