Statement on the Sultan of Brunei's Honorary Degree

“The University of Oxford shares in the international revulsion of the new Penal Code in Brunei and strongly supports the United Nations’ call to stop the code coming into force. As an institution deeply committed to equality, diversity and individual rights we understand and share the concerns of our students and staff who have expressed abhorrence at recent developments in Brunei and would like to disassociate from them. We also believe in due process. Just as nobody has a right to confer an honorary degree, nobody has a right summarily to rescind it. The decision to confer this degree 26 years ago was recommended by a Committee and approved by Council and by Congregation at the time. We will reconsider this decision through our established process in light of the information now available, as other British Universities are doing. At no point has the University declined to reconsider this decision.”