Philanthropy helps to create new Chair in Jewish Studies at Nottingham

PA151/11 A new chair at The University of Nottingham will make it one of the UK's leading centres for the study of Judaism — thanks to the generosity of donors. The Chair in Jewish Studies will play a key role in building on the University's outstanding reputation in theology and religious studies, focusing on the Jewish contribution to human civilisation, ancient and modern. Nottingham alumnus and award-winning journalist Jeff Randall has spearheaded fundraising efforts for the new chair, and as a result the University is well on the way to a target of £1.5m in philanthropic donations to underpin the endowment. Mr Randall's work is also helping to fund a postgraduate scholarship and other research posts around the new position. Professor Agata Bielik-Robson, who has an international reputation in the field, has been appointed to the new post in the University's Department of Theology and Religious Studies. Professor Bielik-Robson has joined Nottingham from Warsaw where she lectured for the past few years. Before that she spent time at Yale University in New Haven and the University of Chicago.