Overview
Oxford University Press (OUP) is a department of the University of Oxford, tracing its roots to early printing in the 15th century and formally established by royal charter in 1586. It serves to advance global scholarship and education through rigorous publishing practices.
Mission and focus areas
OUP aims to produce world-class academic, educational and English language resources for diverse global audiences. It publishes across research, teaching, reference, digital, and language markets, striving to widen access to knowledge. In sustainability and ESG (environmental, social, governance) terms, OUP is a signatory to the SDG Publishers Compact and has expanded “Oxford Open” journals aligned to domains like climate change, energy and health.
Structure and governance
OUP is governed under the University of Oxford’s statutes via a group known as the Delegates of the Press, drawn from academic staff. A Secretary to the Delegates functions as its chief executive, coordinating operations and representing OUP within the university. Its policy and direction are overseen by this combination of academic oversight and executive management.
Programs and offerings
OUP’s output includes academic monographs, textbooks, peer-reviewed journals (over 500 titles), digital reference works, and English language teaching materials. It manages Oxford Research Encyclopedias and the Oxford Bibliographies platform, offering curated scholarly overviews.mIts “Oxford Open” journals provide open access in key fields, and it issues a Responsible Publishing report to track sustainability performance.
Publishing with purpose
Our mission shapes everything we do:
We further the University of Oxford’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide.
This is why we were established over 500 years ago. It directs our actions today – and drives what we do tomorrow.
