Our Oxfordshire story
Oxfordshire is a place of national and global significance; it has the power to change lives.
A place of great thinkers and thinking, ideas and inspiration, history and hi tech, extraordinary talent and an equally extraordinary environment, constantly redefining leading edge and excellence that pushes boundaries, is green yet sustainably growing, oozes curiosity and discovery, yet is responsible, caring and aware of its astounding influence for good on a global scale.
Oxfordshire has a precious natural environment, an ability and onus to champion and be an exemplar for the green economy alongside a sustainable approach to growth; it is an appealing environment for visitors with culture, heritage and landscape whilst being gloriously diverse in so many ways with collaboration at its heart and is a globally renowned epicentre of learning. The University of Oxford is constantly rated the world’s top university (Times Higher Education World University Rankings) and the county is incredibly fortunate to also be home to the highly regarded Oxford Brookes University; amazing academia and a critical mass of science infrastructure and thinkers.
A thinking hub
Oxfordshire is acting as a ‘thinking hub’ fuelling economic growth and job creation across the UK. Its talent, entrepreneurial spirit, research and pioneering DNA is opening up opportunities that are helping transform UK plc. These are as varied as Spaceport in Cornwall, the Innovation and Technology Centre in the North East, Green Port on the Humber, the Fusion Technology Centre in South Yorkshire and Motorsport Valley in the Midlands and Oxfordshire; this is levelling up in action. Oxfordshire also has the ambition and the capability to be at the forefront of the green economy and climate action.
This is especially relevant for Oxfordshire in that it has a stunning natural environment incorporating the Cotswolds, Chilterns, North Wessex Downs, chalk streams and Natural Landscapes. These along with market towns, villages, agriculture and glorious rurality provide its sense of place, yet this environment is fragile and under threat with a need to balance growth with sustainability.
Oxfordshire has a history of taking on global challenges such as Covid and applying its innovation and ingenuity to break down boundaries and bring forward solutions that are people focussed and responsible.
Our Oxfordshire story
Our story articulates the distinctiveness, character and characteristics of Oxfordshire highlighting what makes us special and the opportunities for the sustainable development and promotion of the county. This overarching narrative consists of themes which are pillars and chapters of the story and a big idea that is the emotional purpose for the place. They represent what needs to be focused on for Oxfordshire to prosper. The thematic areas combine elements that are already important in the place alongside its potential and lesser-known ingredients of the Oxfordshire experience.
Download the Oxfordshire Storybook
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Surprisingly diverse, thriving together
Oxfordshire comprises a globally renowned city, stunning natural environment, world leading science facilities, idyllic towns and villages and working places all compellingly juxtaposed; a place of opportunity.
The county is urban, green and blue moving from great density to wide open spaces. It has attracted a variety of people from across the world forming an international and increasingly multiethnic community, seen particularly in businesses, the universities and research institutions across the county.
In many ways it has an embarrassment of riches yet it also contains areas of real deprivation and not everyone is connected to the array of opportunities across the place; a challenge it is determinedly taking on.
The different communities across Oxfordshire are thriving with locally led activity, leadership and strong identities with the place certainly throwing up some amazing contrasts from rambling on the Ridgeway to astro-physics, quirky architecture to quantum technology; it is very much local and global at the same time.
Whilst it is important to celebrate the different places and their special character it is also vital that the county can act together on certain occasions to specific audiences. It is too easy to be fragmented when coherence is called for; packaging the amazing assets, opportunities and people so the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
To be thriving for the benefit of all requires thinking bigger, wider and reaching out within the Oxford to Cambridge region, to the Thames Valley, North to the Midlands and to London as a fundamental part of the ‘golden triangle’.
Celebrating the place whilst determining the future.
A special sense of place for all to enjoy.
Experience history, culture and attractions
Oxfordshire has a stunning sense of place combining the wonder of a mediaeval city with stunning landscapes, breathtaking architecture, picture postcard communities, amazing heritage and compelling culture in every nook and cranny.
Oxford is internationally renowned as a visitor destination particularly with its close relationship and excellent connections to London and people want to soak up the stories, history and especially the university with its distinctive buildings and experience.
The world has been able to feel part of the city as a TV and film location with people enjoying Harry Potter, Inspector Morse, Endeavour and many more. Over 1500 listed buildings including Carfax Tower, Bodleian Library, and Ashmolean Museum help create a fairytale backdrop that has inspired writers over the centuries such as Lewis Carroll, C.S. Lewis, Philip Pullman.
Alongside science, business and learning the visitor economy is vibrant as people love the landscapes, appreciating the space there is to have fun, chill and think. The highly distinctive Cotswolds is world renowned with its honey-coloured stone and is the UK’s second largest protected landscape. Blenheim Palace - Britain’s Greatest Palace - is a World Heritage Site and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, set in gardens designed by ‘Capability’ Brown. Bicester Village is a Designer Outlet with world regarded brands.
The food and drink of the area are exceptional with much being authentic farm to fork with fantastic restaurants such as the acclaimed Michelin two star Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons.
In certain places Oxfordshire is almost too popular and the relationship between residents and visitors is an important one to manage. However, this is such a compelling offer for visitors, relocators, investors and talent; Oxfordshire is locally loved and universally admired.
Pioneering green, it's in our nature
Oxfordshire is renowned as a place to live, work and visit because of its astounding natural environment framed by the Cotswolds, Chilterns and North Wessex Downs although there is a constant balancing act between growth and protection of the environment.
From Natural Landscapes to chalk streams this is a place of beauty where the natural ecosystem truly defines the sense of place. A sustainable approach is pivotal if the county is to continue to make the most of its incredible assets both physical and people to continue helping the world whilst acting responsibly to ensure that generations to come can enjoy the rural surroundings that make it so special.
Already there are considerable challenges around sufficient power and water for the existing residents and businesses and the transport infrastructure is struggling to cope with increased demand despite the forthcoming East West rail which will link Oxford and Cambridge.
Given the local and global requirement to tackle climate change and move towards a net zero, low carbon economy and place alongside its world leading academics and researchers and thinkers, Oxfordshire has a responsibility to be an exemplar for the green economy.
This means taking a lead in ensuring sustainable housing, promoting green technology, powering the re-use economy, developing active travel and promoting and delivering green finance. These will ensure better environmental outcomes, more money invested in businesses to help them become greener whilst creating green jobs and tackling climate change.
This intention to ‘do things differently’ cannot just be aimed at business it must include the foundational economy. Oxfordshire needs to ensure it is a responsible futurist and it has the means to deliver this.
Growing the green.
A globally important crucible of science, learning, innovation and excellence.
Our science of innovation, ideas and inspiration
Oxfordshire is a globally leading, critical mass of science, learning, talent, intellect and inspiration. There is a culture of pushing boundaries, redefining leading edge, pioneering and entrepreneurship.
The universities are powerhouses of knowledge and beacons of experimental excellence as indeed are many of the businesses located across the county. The University of Oxford is the oldest in the English speaking world and has been promoting learning and thinking for over 900 years. This is partly why the county boasts an astonishing number of Nobel prize winners who have given it such a potent global profile.
The Oxford to Cambridge Pan Regional Partnership which also covers Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire adds even more research, learning, business success and world leading thinking, creating a globally unique ecosystem.
The intellectual capacity of the region and talent emerging from the universities is driving the establishment of spin out businesses and the scale up of growing ones, contributing to an environment that promotes and nurtures commercialisation; a driving force for a new, science and knowledge led industrial revolution.
The sheer diversity of world leading expertise and application across Oxfordshire is astonishing; AI, fusion, quantum, space, F1, autonomous transport, robotics, energy, life sciences, biotech, health to name just some. They all benefit from being part of the innovation ecosystem and the continuous drip feed of skill, flair and genius in what is a relatively small area; access to and cross fertilisation of talent is the catalyst for challenge and invention.
Lesser known than the university but at the heart of this science super cluster are Harwell, Culham, Milton Park and nearby Silverstone, hubs of innovation, scientific passion and collaboration where world leading facilities, businesses and some of the brightest minds in science come together to deliver life changing advances and new technology.
The research and innovation originated in Oxfordshire has created businesses and jobs across the UK from Cornwall to the Humber, demonstrating the influence and importance of the county to UK plc and underlining its importance as the leading net contributor to the Exchequer.
The big idea for Oxfordshire
The Big Idea is an emotional and behavioural statement of intent for Oxfordshire and sits above and alongside the themes. It projects what the place is about, what it stands for and what is important. This isn’t a strap line or marketing message, rather it is a ‘strategic signature’ for the whole area.
By changing our thinking, doing things differently, we can better utilise all our assets: radiating influence, building confidence, cultivating and encouraging strong leadership, developing new relationships, bringing business and place together.
Oxfordshire: changing the world for the better every day
The big idea for Oxfordshire is something every place would aspire to claim but understandably can’t, it is what makes this such a special place at a regional, national and global level.
Even more astonishing is that this has been a place of curiosity and discovery for hundreds of years with original thinkers and people who dared to dream, all that has changed over the centuries is that now there are even more of them.
Oxfordshire still has its own challenges, and it has to be resolute in dealing with these, whether deprivation or environmental vulnerability. It also needs to fix things locally so that it can continue to act globally as it did so brilliantly with the Covid vaccine. Few other places have the opportunity to inspire and raise the aspirations of young people and that must continue to be a central pillar of what it stands for.
Many people, businesses and organisations want to harness the science ‘super cluster’ and clearly on many occasions that is for commercial gain.
However, Oxfordshire has to retain its positioning of being home to globally responsible futurists who have people focussed outcomes at heart both at home and further afield. This has and always will define the place and ensure it continues to be respected and renowned on the world stage.