Members of the Governing Body with Oxbridge Chancellors Lord Hague and Lord Smith (either side of Dr Breeze) at the recent Charter Dinner. Dr Sollereder and Professor De Neve are fourth and fifth from left (Image: Edmund Blok)
Harris Manchester College has elected Dr Bethany Sollereder as its new Vice-Principal. She will succeed Professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, who has completed his seven-year tenure in the role.
Dr Sollereder, who is Wills Tutor in Theology at the College and Associate Professor in Science and Religion at the University, will take up the post with immediate effect. She specialises in theology, evolution and the problem of suffering, with her current work focusing on theological aspects of climate change. Most recently, Dr Sollereder, who joined Harris Manchester from the University of Edinburgh in 2025, co-authored God, Struggling and Suffering in the Evolution of Life, which presents various positions in the debate over questions of resistance to divine will in the non-human world.
Dr Sollereder commented: “I am delighted and honoured at the chance to serve the Harris Manchester College community in this role. I look forward to working with Beth in the exciting ways the college is moving into the future".
Dr Beth Breeze, the College’s Principal, said: “I am grateful to Jan for serving as Vice Principal during my first year in post. It was an excellent year with many highlights, including the memorable celebration of our 30th anniversary as a full collegiate member of the University of Oxford, which set us on an a very positive path going forward. It will be a great pleasure to work with Bethany to further realise the potential of our unique academic community".
