Magna Charta Universitatum

This week King’s College London hosted the Anniversary of the Magna Charta Universitatum (MCU), a celebration and exploration of the fundamental values of being a university. Over 200 universities have gathered to discuss ‘What are universities for? Higher education principles, values and responsibilities in a fragmented world’. Over three days, participants engaged in keynote addresses, panel discussions, and interactive sessions exploring the evolving role of universities amidst global challenges. KCL President Shitij Kapur and Professor Liviu Matei explain, “Affirming shared values will help academic freedom weather the storm”.

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Of Merchants & Men – A Freewheeling Flaneuring Podcast With TimeLine London

My dear friend Dr Geoff Browell and his team, Tam McDonald, Christopher Winn, and Mark Mason, producers of the London Timeline podcast, had the courage to ask me to hold forth on an eclectic and personal view of London’s history while sitting in the Jamaica Wine House, the original Pasqua Rosée coffee house of 1652.. Here is the resulting 53 minutes of sauntering sagacity, peripatetic pomposity, or perhaps freewheeling flaneuring.

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Pepys Day 2025: London’s Most Delightfully Diary-Obsessed Celebration Returns

[An edited version of this article appeared as “Pepys Day: Raise A Toast To London’s Best Diarist” in City AM on 2 September 2025]

Friday, 5 September 2025, marks the second annual Pepys Day in London.  If you missed last year’s inaugural celebration, you’ll want to grab your quill and parchment (or smartphone) to register immediately. Samuel Pepys and his diaries of the Great Fire are to London as James Joyce and Bloomsday are to Dublin.

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On The Road Again

Since the beginning of the year I’ve already spent five weeks abroad, three visiting family in the US and two in Asia, leading me to wonder if being Lord Mayor isn’t such a tough roadshow. Lots of fun, and just sharing a few links to Korea and China if you want to skim a bit of what I was up to:

Xi’an – Professor Michael Mainelli was Appointed as Visiting Scholar at NWU and Delivers Academic Lecture-Northwest University

Seoul – https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10451919, https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-

Incheon – https://www.incheon.go.kr/en/EN020401/3005067

Guangzhou – https://www.gduf.edu.cn/info/1037/13401.htm

Shenzhen – https://en.cdi.org.cn/

Korean government leaders including Mayor Oh of Seoul

Saying Goodbye To A Most Full 2024 & Hello To An Intriguing 2025

So there we were, finally getting a private holiday in after a busy year, when you realise you have a lot of reading time ahead learning about the central position of Tyrol and Maximilian I in European history. Lots to look forward to in 2025. With all best wishes for the New Year to family, friends, colleagues, and anyone else reading this!

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