Each year, on the Wednesday of the ninth week of Trinity Term, the University of Oxford holds one of its most historic and elegant ceremonies: Encaenia. This is the moment when the University honours distinguished individuals with honorary degrees and pays tribute to the generosity of its benefactors.
The word Encaenia comes from the Greek for “festival of renewal” and is traditionally translated in the Gospel of St John as the “festival of dedication.” In spirit, it’s not unlike what many North American universities refer to as “commencement” – the academic year’s most significant ceremonial occasion.
Oxford’s Encaenia has evolved from a much larger event once known as "The Act", which included music specially composed for the day and even a satirical speech by an anonymous figure called Terrae Filius, Latin for “Son of the Earth.” Often scandalous and irreverent, these addresses were a distinctive (and occasionally controversial) feature. Originally held in the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, the event found its more fitting home in the Sheldonian Theatre in 1670, where it remains today.
By the mid-18th century, Encaenia took on the shape we recognise now, much influenced by the will of Nathaniel, Lord Crewe. A former Rector of Lincoln College and later Bishop of Durham, Lord Crewe left a generous benefaction to the University that continues to support the ceremony.
The tradition of awarding honorary degrees is almost as old as the University itself. The earliest known recipient was Lionel Woodville, Dean of Exeter and brother-in-law to Edward IV, who was offered a Doctor of Canon Law in 1478 or 1479, without the usual academic requirements. The practice grew, and by the time Queen Elizabeth I visited in 1566, honorary degrees were conferred in more formal ceremonies within Oxford itself.
Today, the occasion is as grand as ever. The morning begins with a gathering of college heads, university dignitaries, and honorands in full academic dress at one of the colleges, where they partake in Lord Crewe’s Benefaction, a ceremonial breakfast before heading to the Sheldonian Theatre.
Inside the theatre, each honorand is formally presented by the Public Orator with a speech in Latin before being admitted to their honorary degree by the Chancellor. The ceremony also includes the Creweian Oration, reflecting on the past year and honouring the University’s benefactors. Every other year, the Professor of Poetry delivers a concluding address.
Encaenia is a remarkable blend of tradition, ceremony, and celebration; a uniquely Oxford moment that bridges the University’s storied past with its ever-evolving future.
This year’s Encaenia honours an exceptional roster of honorary degree recipients:
Dame Jacinda Ardern – former New Zealand Prime Minister
Lord Melvyn Bragg – broadcaster and author
Clive Myrie – BBC journalist and presenter
Prof Serhii Plokhii – Ukrainian historian
Prof Timothy Snyder – historian of Central Europe
Prof Colm Tóibín – celebrated novelist
Sir Mo Farah – Olympic champion
Prof Robert S. Langer – chemical engineer and biotech pioneer
Prof Erwin Neher – Nobel Laureate in Physiology/Medicine
