Breakfast with Oxford University team: Research, Philanthropy, and Franco-British Partnerships

Discover the University of Oxford’s longstanding ties with France and its role at the forefront of global research.

Join a special session with Prof. Catriona Seth, Marshal Foch Professor of French Literature and Fellow of All Souls College, and Alix Fontaine, Senior Development Executive, to discover how Oxford combines long‑standing academic traditions with bold, future‑focused innovation.

You will explore over a century of Franco‑British collaboration in French studies, from the creation of the Marshal Foch Chair through visionary philanthropic support and research donors, to today’s strategic partnerships with global companies such as Chanel and L’Oréal, which open up new academic and professional horizons for talented candidates.

Meet Catriona Seth, an internationally recognised scholar of French literature and Enlightenment cultural history, raised in Switzerland, Belgium, and South America, whose international background reflects the global mindset Oxford seeks in its most promising students and collaborators.

The conversation will also address current challenges in research and higher education, showing how donors, corporate partners and alumni enable cutting‑edge projects, new scholarships and wider access to world‑class education for high‑potential individuals from diverse backgrounds.

If you are ambitious to contribute to research with impact, to build bridges between cultures, or to work at the intersection of universities and leading companies, this session will give you concrete examples of how Oxford, its academic community and its supporters identify, develop and empower future leaders and how you could be part of that ecosystem.

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? AGENDA
• 8:30 am - 9:00 am: Welcome breakfast and networking
• 9:00 am - 10:00 am: Presentation (20 minutes for speaker #1 / 20 minutes for speaker #2 / 20 minutes for Q&A)
• 10:00 am - 10:30 am: Networking

Speaker(s)

Professor Catriona Seth FBAMarshal Foch Professor of French Literature, The University of Oxford

Alix FontaineSenior Development Executive, The University of Oxford