Research co-authored by Selwyn Fellow Sarah Fraser Butlin KC is contributing to the national conversation about how to change England and Wales's Employment Tribunal system. 

Now cases are so backlogged that unfair dismissal claimants can wait up to five years for a hearing.

Sarah, a practising barrister, worked with Professor Catherine Barnard of Trinity Cambridge and Maayan Menashe of City St George's University of London. Their two-year empirical study was funded by the Employment Lawyers Association. Recommendations from the research were published in May and have been covered by BBC News, among others.

Sarah said that single outstanding cases in the Employment Tribunal rose by 15,000 to 58,000 in the past year alone, with the total backlog now standing at nearly 72,000. 

And changes to the Employment Rights Act 2025 are expected to add further pressure.

The research takes a fresh approach to the problem. It argues that workplace disputes are currently handled within too narrow a legal frame. Drawing on how family law manages the breakdown of relationships, it proposes a new model for employment dispute resolution. Key recommendations include a new dispute resolution body to reduce the number of cases reaching court, a tiered system routing simpler claims to legal officers rather than judges, and AI tools designed to evaluate claims rather than expand them.

Reimagining Employment Dispute Resolution and Enforcement is available under an open access licence. 

The 2026 Ramsay Murray lecture was given at Selwyn on May 15th by Director General at Imperial War Museums (IWM), Caro Howell MBE. Her title was “War and Peace: The role of Imperial War Museums in the twenty-first century.”  

To begin Selwyn’s flagship lecture, Caro outlined the IWM’s origins in 1917 as a social history museum, created to represent the “experience, service and sacrifice of everyone, including men and women, military and civilian, young and old, and even human and animal.” 

Caro emphasised that the museum’s collections reveal how conflict shapes every aspect of society, from technological innovation to changing social roles. She spoke about how personal stories and objects are used to humanise war and connect audiences with the lived experience behind historical events. 

A central theme of the lecture was the challenge of maintaining relevance for contemporary audiences. Caro noted that many people today feel little direct connection to historic conflicts such as the Second World War, while others misunderstand the purpose of the IWM. Citing audience research, she noted that many assume the museum offers only displays of military hardware and a dry history lesson, rather than “emotional, inspiring and human-centred stories about the present as well as the past.” She argued that this perception makes adaptation essential, with the museum increasingly incorporating contemporary conflicts, digital innovation and more inclusive forms of storytelling.

The lecture also highlighted the growing importance of museums as trusted sources of evidence in an age of misinformation, as well as the need to engage new and younger audiences through digital platforms, immersive experiences and collaborative projects. Ultimately, Caro argued that the future of the IWM lies in making their stories relevant and ensuring that people can see their own lives reflected in the histories of conflict.

You can watch the full lecture on our YouTube channel. Click here.

Erin Charles will join Selwyn as Development Director on 1 September, succeeding Mike Nicholson, who retires at the end of August after 12 years in the role. 

Erin's appointment ensures continuity for the College's alumni and supporters. She joins at a significant moment as Selwyn prepares to celebrate 50 years since women were first admitted as students and Fellows next year, and looks ahead to its 150th anniversary in 2032.

Erin brings substantial fundraising experience across the independent and collegiate education sectors. She read Jurisprudence with Law Studies in Europe at St Peter's College, Oxford, graduating in 2015 and has since been based in Cambridge. She began her career as a Schools Liaison Officer at Girton College before progressing through development roles at The Perse School, where she became Head of Development. In 2024, she took up her current role as Deputy Development Director at St John's College. She is particularly committed to widening access and social mobility.

Erin said: "I am delighted to be joining Selwyn at such an exciting time in its history. The College is known for its strong academic performance and the breadth and diversity of its community. These achievements are clearly underpinned by the engagement and generosity of alumni. That support is visible throughout the College, from Ann's Court and the beautiful gardens to the opportunities and experiences available to current students. 

"The welcome I have received so far has been characteristically warm and friendly, and I am very much looking forward to working together in support of the College's ambitions in the years ahead."

Selwyn women in University Shield

On Saturday 2 May 2026, Selwyn women’s football team put in a fantastic effort in the Cambridge University Shield, finishing their season as Shield runners-up and fourth in the league overall.

Captained by Jaya Fox, the team looked sharp in their brand-new kit, generously gifted by Selwyn alumnus Nick Craggs.

The final score was 6–1, with our goal coming from an own goal by Queens’, assisted by Alice Cammegh and Daisy Burnip. The whole college is immensely proud of the women’s performances throughout the campaign.

Alice Cammegh said: "Seeing the team grow from 5 people to over 17 has been one of the greatest joys of the season. Jaya has worked so hard to create a welcoming environment, and I think it's clear to everyone how much we love playing together."

Photos by Kit Roberts.

Selwyn men in Cuppers final

On Sunday 10 May 2026 Selwyn men’s football team put in a strong performance in the Cuppers Final at Grange Road, narrowly losing 2–1 to Fitzwilliam to finish off one of the club’s most successful seasons in recent history.

Selwyn took the lead in the first half through captain Lucas Clarke, who also deservedly picked up Selwyn player of the match. Fitzwilliam responded with two second-half goals to claim the title.

This team has represented Selwyn brilliantly all season — unbeaten going into the final, with 11 wins from 13 matches and a place in the history books as the first Division 3 side to reach the Cuppers Final.

Special mentions to vice-captain Maxwell Rich, top scorer Oscar Reeves and every player who has made this such a memorable campaign.

Selwyn men win promotion to Division 2

On Saturday 17 May 2026, Selwyn men's football team secured promotion to Division 2 with a dramatic 3–2 victory against King's in the playoff final, after extra time.

Oscar Reeves put Selwyn in command with a brace, first curling home a free-kick early in the first half, then doubling the advantage after the restart from a corner delivered by Marco Faria. King's pulled level with two late goals to force extra time, but Selwyn held their nerve in difficult, wet conditions. In the final minute, Faria won a penalty and captain Lucas Clarke converted it to seal one of the season's most memorable results.

The win confirms promotion and marks another landmark in what has been an historic season for Selwyn football.

The Right Rev Lord Harries of Pentregarth (1936 to 2026)

We were very sad to hear of the death of the Right Rev Lord Harries of Pentregarth, who died on 29 April, aged 89. One of our Honorary Fellows, Richard Harries read theology at the College (BA 1961, MA 1965) and went on to a remarkable career in the Church and public life.

He served as Bishop of Oxford for nearly two decades and was made Lord Harries of Pentregarth on his retirement. A prolific author of books on faith, ethics and the arts, he is also known to many Radio 4 listeners through his contributions to Thought for the Day. 

Ordained in 1963, Richard rose to become Bishop of Oxford from 1987 until his retirement in 2006. He sat in the House of Lords as a cross-bencher and continued to contribute actively to public debate on faith, ethics, science and politics. A committed advocate for interfaith understanding, he co-founded the Oxford Abrahamic Group and chaired the Council of Christians and Jews. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and received the British Academy President's Medal in 2012.

He will be deeply missed by all who valued his wisdom, his humanity and his unfailing willingness to engage with the hardest questions. 

Our thoughts are with his family.

Two new Gates Scholars will be joining Selwyn in October. Paulina Lohbeck and Cong Minh Nguyen were announced on 17 April as members of the Gates Cambridge Class of 2026. Paulina will pursue a PhD in Materials Science and Metallurgy, and Cong Minh will read for a PhD in Economics.

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is one of the world's most prestigious postgraduate awards, offered each year to outstanding students from outside the UK who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential and a commitment to improving the lives of others.

Paulina, who has studied across France and Germany, is drawn to questions of light and matter. "I am fascinated by how much can be revealed by looking at something differently," she says, "sometimes quite literally through light." Her PhD will investigate how optical excitation shapes the performance of next-generation optoelectronic devices, with the aim of understanding what currently limits their efficiency. 

Cong Minh, who grew up in Pleiku, Vietnam, where his family grow coffee, brings a deeply personal perspective to his research. "Farmers sell through middlemen who hold better information about demand, prices and market access, enabling them to capture value at farmers' expense," he explains. "I see a similar story in digital markets." His PhD will examine how platforms' information design may distort competition and facilitate algorithmic collusion, as part of a broader commitment to consumer protection.
 

Both scholars join a Selwyn community that spans disciplines, nationalities and generations. We wish them every success as they begin their research at Cambridge.

Since the first class in 2001, Gates Cambridge has awarded 2,299 scholarships to scholars from 112 countries, representing nearly 800 universities globally and all 31 Cambridge colleges. This year's class of 68 represents 25 countries.
 

Find out more about the Gates Cambridge Class of 2026.

 

Nearly 600 sixth form students from West Yorkshire experienced university study first-hand, with masterclasses covering everything from history to medicine. 

Selwyn Fellows and Master Suzanne Raine travelled to Greenhead College in Huddersfield on 15 April to deliver the day-long programme.

The visit is part of the College's Higher Education Extension (HEE) Programme, a Selwyn initiative running for several years with the aim of raising aspirations among 16 to 18-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds and encouraging applications to Cambridge.

Students chose from seven talks, each designed to stretch them academically and support future applications to Oxbridge and leading UK universities. Topics ranged from nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and Hawaiian history to the forensic science of voice and reading poetry.

Afterwards, students met Selwyn Admissions Tutors in dedicated arts and STEM sessions to ask questions about university applications and life at Cambridge.

The HEE Programme runs as a series of sessions from January to May which means Selwyn can reach significantly more students than is possible during school visits to Cambridge.

The programme is part of Selwyn's wider commitment to access and outreach across the North of England.

How do you convey an entire thesis in just three minutes? 

That was the question facing students who took part in Selwyn’s annual Three Minute Thesis competition. 

With such a limited time to present complex ideas and just one static slide, the event was an exercise in identifying the most essential information that would both inform and, most importantly, engage the panel of judges.

Entrants covered a range of thought-provoking topics on the evenings of 18 and 19 March, such as how AI is creating a challenging new environment for humans, leeches thriving in deforested areas, finding that groups of prime numbers are less likely to exclude individuals. Even linking classics to Swedish heavy metal and covering the Passion of Port Talbot re-enactment. They also explored the underlying mechanisms that shape intrusive memories in post-traumatic stress disorder, and how concepts drawn from general relativity might offer new approaches to diagnosing dementia. Another presentation examined the reception of Ulysses through the interpretive framework of The Divine Comedy.

Open to all Selwyn students, the process of preparing and presenting to an audience, helps to refine their ideas, sharpen their arguments, and develop the clarity and confidence needed to communicate their work effectively to an audience who will not all be specialists.

Master Suzanne Raine said: "It has been wonderful to see the quality, engagement and intellectual heft of our three-minute presenters. Being able to articulate clearly and succinctly research aims, method and conclusions is a key skill and this competition has been a fantastic way for our students to develop and demonstrate it."

Participants were enthusiastic about the process saying it was useful in honing their thinking, even though it was tough distilling their work into just one slide.

Congratulations to the prize winners:

• Alex Barrington (SE 2023) Zoology 
• Aryan Misra (SE 2023) Psychological and Behavioural Sciences
• Affan Dziyaul (SE 2025) Land Economy
• Raphael Hernandes (SE 2025) Digital Humanities

Professor Grant Stewart has led the development of the first national guideline on kidney cancer, published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

A Selwyn Fellow, Dean and Director of Studies in Clinical Medicine at the College, Grant was clinical lead for the guideline which sets out the gold standard approach to diagnosing and managing kidney cancer at all stages.

A key recommendation from the guideline, published on 19 March, is to offer biopsies to more people with suspected kidney cancer, which could double the number of biopsies undertaken nationally. Testing a tissue sample confirms whether a lump is cancerous or benign, potentially sparing patients from unnecessary surgery.

Professor Stewart said: "By offering more patients with a kidney lump a biopsy, clinicians can tell patients if the lesion is cancer or benign and if they need to consider a treatment like surgery, or if they can avoid these treatments which do have considerable risks associated with them."

The guideline also recommends that every patient should have access to a clinical nurse specialist experienced in kidney cancer throughout their care.

The approach mirrors work already underway at Addenbrooke's, where Professor Stewart has established a one-stop biopsy clinic, led by clinical nurse specialists, allowing patients to receive their diagnosis on the same day, halving waiting times compared with the traditional pathway.

The guidance can be found here.