OPINION: Why Oxford scholarships for Jewish students matter

The recent launch of Tikvah Scholarships for Jewish and Israeli students at St Anne’s College, Oxford, is an initiative to be warmly welcomed. The scholarships are being funded by Leg Up Charity for Kids (LUCK), a charity based in my constituency of Hertsmere.

LUCK works throughout England and Wales to improve education opportunities and alleviate childhood poverty and disadvantage. I had the pleasure of meeting with LUCK’s board of trustees at their offices earlier this year. We had the opportunity to discuss their many valuable initiatives, which include offering direct support to children, as well as providing educational bursaries.

At a time when antisemitism is rising across British campuses, these awards send an important, welcoming message to Jewish students. I always want to stand up and help the local Jewish community, and I believe that supporting our young Jewish people is just one of the many ways to do this.

Last year, I supported LUCK in their bid to fund these scholarships. Having lobbied Helen King QPM, Principal of St Anne’s College to back them, I was absolutely thrilled to see the recent announcement.

As the Member of Parliament for Hertsmere, I have the pleasure of representing one of the largest Jewish communities in Britain. Every day I see the extraordinary contribution Jewish families make to our national life: in business, in public service, in culture, and in education.

Having been the local Member of Parliament for the last ten years, I have visited many of our excellent schools, some of them Jewish. Among them, Immanuel College and Yavneh College, have recently achieved exceptional A-Level results. It is crucial that these students, and students of all faiths and backgrounds, feel welcome at our top universities. I know that many Jewish students in my constituency will welcome this announcement.

The scenes in Oxford last term during the university’s handling of pro-Palestine protests, and the following treatment of Vice-Chancellor, Irene Tracey, would have been difficult for many. Antisemitism is never acceptable and has no place in this country or in our academic institutions. It is crucial that we uphold absolute fairness, and ensure students are able to study in peace.

While there are already statutory duties on universities to protect free speech, the last Conservative government passed the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 to ensure that universities promote this fundamental value. The Act delivers on the last government’s commitment to strengthen academic freedom and free speech in higher education, helping to protect the reputation of our universities as centres of academic freedom.

At many of our universities, awards already exist for Christians, Muslims and other faiths, and for students from countries as varied as China, the USA and Qatar. These are well deserved and rightly celebrated. It is positive to see St Anne’s, Oxford, embracing scholarships for students of Jewish and Israeli backgrounds, and I do hope this will set an example to other institutions.

While these scholarships were announced in the quiet of the summer, I hope that St Anne’s College will actively champion them, and that Jewish students will feel confident in applying for the scholarships and go on to attend Oxford proudly Jewish.

To apply for the Tikvah Scholarships, students must demonstrate a clear plan to give back to Jewish or Israeli communities. Through launching these scholarships, St Anne’s College are showing a commitment to future generations of Jewish and Israeli communities in the UK. Young people who will strengthen their communities and, through them, the civic life of Britain.

Our universities must live up to the British ideals of openness and fairness. If institutions like St Anne’s College show courage by celebrating these scholarships publicly, defending them robustly, and encouraging students to embrace them confidently, we can bring about meaningful change.

The Hebrew word tikvah means “hope.” These scholarships offer hope that future generations of Jewish young people – from Borehamwood to Bushey and beyond – will be able to aspire to Oxford without hesitation.

Jewish students belong at our elite academic institutions. The Tikvah Scholarships are a welcome beginning, and I do hope that some of our bright Jewish students in Hertsmere will consider applying.

Oliver Dowden is MP for Hertsmere