The Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies (‘OCBS’) is a Recognised Independent Centre of Oxford University (RIC).

Click here  for the text of the Agreement between the Centre and the University [a Word file].

The OCBS has four Trustees:

• Richard Gombrich, Boden Professor of Sanskrit Emeritus, chairs the Trustee Board. He also serves as Academic Director of the Centre pro bono. He first proposed the idea of a Centre for Buddhist Studies in 2002.

Click here for full details of Richard’s career. [a Word file ~5MB]

• Geoffrey Bamford acts as Secretary to the Board. He gained a 1st class degree in Sanskrit and Pali from Oxford University in 1970, then did 4 years’ postgraduate work, both in Oxford (at Wolfson College) and in Sri Lanka and India (on a Commonwealth Scholarship). From 1974 he was had a business career; from 1986 to 2000, he ran an independent consultancy specialising in cross-cultural communication issues. Since 2003/4, he has worked full-time for this project pro bono, serving as Executive Director of the OCBS.
  
• Originally from Eastern Burma, Khammai Dhammasami has a doctorate from Oxford. The incumbent of the Oxford Buddha Vihara, he also heads the International Secretariat for the UN Day of Vesak, based in Bangkok. He travels the world both in that capacity and as teacher and meditation master. He has a key role in the OCBS’ relations with the Sangha and Buddhist Universities in Theravada countries and more widely across Asia. Supporters of the Oxford Buddha Vihara have offered much voluntary help to the OCBS.
  
• John Peacock has a doctorate in Philosophy, was for many years the Director of the Sharpham Centre for Buddhist Studies and Contemporary Enquiry and now teaches Buddhism both to practitioners and also at Bristol University. He gave a well-attended series of public talks in Oxford in 2005, and has an important role in the OCBS’ outreach activities.