Associate Member of Common Room
The founding of Oxford’s newest graduate college, supported by a generous benefaction from the Reuben Foundation, has offered an exciting opportunity to bring together academic researchers focused on exploring some of the most important questions of the 21st century. Reuben College provides an environment that stimulates and facilitates interdisciplinary research, while emphasising the qualities of innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship. It supports a community of scholars who embrace opportunities to interact with researchers beyond the boundaries of their own disciplines and to engage with colleagues beyond the realm of academia. The College’s Associate Membership of Common Room is an important component of that project.
The Reuben Common Room comprises the students, staff and fellows of the College, along with the President. Governing Body may also elect members outside of the college to Associate Membership of Common Room (AMCR) under procedures in place at any time. Akin to ‘GCR associate membership’, for which separate procedures exist, this provides defined access to college events, under the terms and conditions in place, as well as the privilege of college common room association.
Membership entails:
Membership brings with it the opportunity to attend meals and events at the College at guest rates and access to ground floor areas of the College as well as the dining hall. For full terms and conditions please see here.
If you wish to speak to a member of the College regarding this please contact President's EA, Chloe Mak president-pa@reuben.ox.ac.uk.
Membership Categories
Associate Membership of the Common Room (AMCR) is either associated with the post the member holds or held, because of an academic or other interest shared with the College, or with special circumstances. Association in every case must be offered in the reasonable expectation, and in line with the College’s objectives as a graduate society, of advancing graduate-level studies.
Associate Membership of Common Room
The college welcomes the talents and experience of those outside its direct membership of Fellows, staff and students, and seeks to open its doors to a wide range of colleagues within the parameters of its charitable objectives. It thus, for example, has schemes for Visiting Fellowships and a growing number of Associate Research Fellows.
Reuben’s ‘Associate Membership of Common Room’ adds to these initiatives. Elected AMCR membership is for academics and professionals with academic connection to the College’s interests and themes. Election follows a gathered field application round, with the majority of associate members expected to be drawn from the University’s postdoctoral researchers, but with capacity also both to elect postholders more established in their career, and/or from outside of the University.
Benefits of Association: Associate Members of Common Room will receive the College Termcard and the right to book onto advertised Reuben College dinners (for example Formal Halls and Tuesday night talks) and events (such as seminars, talks and conferences) at guest rates.
For more details on Terms and Conditions of Associate Membership of Common Room please see here.
How to apply
In assessing applications the college will give due consideration to achieving a balance of the College’s interests, and ensuring a broad range of membership. If granted, membership will be for two years and is non-renewable, so as to allow for a turnover in membership and extension over time across different fields. Association in every case will be offered in the expectation that associate members will wish to support the Reuben graduate community , in line with the College’s objectives as a graduate society.
In the current application round, the College particularly welcomes new applications from those with a background in Social Sciences and Humanities.
Applications – emailed to the President’s EA, Chloe Mak president-pa@reuben.ox.ac.uk by the deadline, 15th April 2025 midday must include:
- A CV (no more than 2 pages)
- A supporting statement (no more than 500 words) citing both the anticipated benefit to the applicant from the association, and the benefit to the College (for example in engagement with theme or strategic area activities by virtue of academic background)
- A summary note of the applicant’s current University contract status and end date (if applicable)
- The name of a College Governing Body Fellow with whom you have spoken regarding this application*
* Prior to any applications being submitted, it is expected that anyone applying to be elected as an Associate Member of Common Room has had a conversation with a Governing Body Fellow who would then be asked by the College to speak to your application. A list of Reuben’s Fellows, and contact details, can be found here (Filter by ‘Governing Body Fellow’) and candidates are advised to contact one of those most closely related to their academic theme. If you have not received a response from a Governing Body Fellow after one week, please contact one of the College’s theme leads (see below). It would be helpful, and productive for the ensuing conversation, if when reaching out you could provide that Fellow with a draft copy of your application.
Current Theme Leads:
Ethics & Values: Jonathan.pugh@reuben.ox.ac.uk
Environmental Change: Sam.fankhauser@reuben.ox.ac.uk
Cellular Life: Chrystalina.antoniades@reuben.ox.ac.uk
AI & Machine Learning: Ani.calinescu@reuben.ox.ac.uk
Also
Public Engagement with Research, Heritage & Culture: Janet.Stott@reuben.ox.ac.uk or
Catarina.Vicente@reuben.ox.ac.uk
Innovation & Entrepreneurship: watu.wamae@reuben.ox.ac.uk or cath.spence@reuben.ox.ac.uk
Demitting (and previous) Fellows of the College
By virtue of the post previously held with the College. To be held for up to two years, with renewal by application thereafter.
- Demitting (and previous) Governing Body Fellows of the College (Official Fellows and Fellows by Special Election) who have held College Fellowship beyond any agreed renewal period (renewal set for two and a half years for Official Fellows).
- Demitting Research and Senior Research Fellows of the College who have held College Fellowship beyond any agreed renewal period (renewal normally set at one year).
- Demitting Associate Research Fellows of the College who have held this position for over one year.
- Other categories of Fellows demitting office (for example, Senior Research and Visiting Fellows), normally dependent on their having completed a renewal process in post, where eligible, or otherwise a full term of office, where renewal is not permissible.
Agreement to membership is automatic on application (application form), provided the applicant has been a Fellow of the College for at least the required period, and applies within five years of leaving office. Membership will be for two years in the first instance and can be applied to be renewed annually thereafter.
