From the Principal | Lady Margaret Hall

Professor Christine Gerrard wearing a navy suit standing in her office

Thinking for the Future

Since opening Oxford's doors to women in 1879, LMH has been shaped by the belief that education is transformative. This pioneering spirit remains at the heart of who we are today.

Thanks to the extraordinary commitment and generosity of our community, LMH has consistently punched above its weight. From modest beginnings in a rented North Oxford house, we have grown to become one of Oxford’s larger colleges. We are proud of what we offer our students and our academics, who are leaders in their fields.

We can now offer on-site accommodation to all our undergraduates, a state-of-the-art graduate centre, a professional wellbeing service, comprehensive financial assistance and an active outreach programme. We have achieved all this without the large endowments enjoyed by many older colleges; indeed, last year more than a quarter of LMH’s income came from alumni and friends.

Yet year on year, the UK higher education landscape is becoming increasingly precarious, particularly for colleges without the security of a large endowment. The Oxford tutorial system, which is at the heart of all we do, is both precious and expensive. Student fee income now covers less than 40% of the true cost of an Oxford education and we have to make up the shortfall. Our ability to sustain the education we offer will depend on continued investment in LMH’s future.

We cannot stand still. If we are to sustain our success, we must grow our endowment – to safeguard our Tutorial Fellowships, attract and nurture talented students, and ensure our estate continues to serve the needs of generations to come.

LMH150: Thinking for the Future is a transformative fundraising campaign.

Our goal is ambitious: to raise our endowment to £100 million, bringing LMH in line with the median Oxford college endowment and giving us the long-term resilience to embrace new possibilities and respond to a changing world.

Many of us can trace our own story back to LMH, and we want those same opportunities to be available to future generations. I hope you will help us make that future possible.