Off the Beaten Track: Stories of diverse journeys to Oxford
New video series interviews staff and students from under-represented backgrounds about their journeys to Oxford.
A new video series exploring the varied journeys of people from under-represented demographics into work and study at the University of Oxford has recently been launched.
The Off the Beaten Track series was borne from a smaller project started in 2023 to showcase the diversity of talent within Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences. Recognising the value of these initial videos, project co-leads Emily Hotine and Professor Fadi Issa successfully bid for support from the Diversity Fund to develop further videos capturing stories from across all four academic divisions of the University.
The project aims to show how people from any background can forge their own path to studying, working and thriving at the University of Oxford. Professor Issa and Emily explained:
‘Off the Beaten Track shares honest conversations about the many routes into Oxford. We wanted to show that excellence comes from diverse backgrounds and experiences. If one person feels seen, welcomed, or inspired to take the next step, the series has done its job.’ – Professor Fadi Issa
‘Our imagined viewer is a state-school student aged somewhere between 16-18 years old. We wanted them to see a piece of themselves reflected in the story they were watching so that they could see the University as a place for them, too.’ – Emily Hotine
Emily shared that selecting just 12 participants to feature in the series proved to be the most challenging aspect of the project. After contacting departments, divisions and networks across the University, 60 meetings were set up with potential participants who were asked to share their life stories in just 30 minutes.
‘I’ll always be grateful to each person we spoke to for sharing their stories in that way: it’s a big request to make of a stranger, to ask them to give such an intimate piece of themselves to a person they’ve just met. Some conversations were joyful. Sometimes there were tears and a quip about how the conversation had turned into a therapy session. Each story I heard was unique, deeply personal and affecting.’ – Emily Hotine
Interview participant Alex Benn reflected:
‘Sometimes, the best way to go about advancing equality and combatting discrimination is to speak to people and listen. I wanted to participate in the series because I felt it could offer a high-quality, realistic impression of those who have come to Oxford by less common routes. The series represented an opportunity for people talk about themselves and their experiences in a more direct and informal way. Since the interview was released, I’ve been particularly pleased when people have said that these aspects were what they liked about the series, something better than a discussion of equality and diversity that felt generic or sterile.’ – Alex Benn, Senior Lecturer in Law at University College
Interviews were filmed in various colleges, against backdrops of historic buildings, picturesque grounds and expansive libraries. The visual reinforces the project’s key message: This is a space for you, whoever you are, wherever you come from.
