Oxford Brookes University theological activities on the site, although theology was withdrawn in 2015. In October 2003, Oxford Brookes University became the first university in the world to be awarded Fairtrade status. Baroness Kennedy served as the university's Chancellor from 1993 to 2001. In 2007, Graham Upton retired as Vice-Chancellor and his successor, Janet Beer, was inaugurated in September. In July 2008, Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty, replaced Jon Snow as chancellor of the university. In March 2015 Alistair Fitt was inaugurated as Vice-Chancellor, replacing Janet Beer. Dame Katherine Grainger British Olympic rower also replaced Shami Chakrabarti as Chancellor. Katherine is Britain's most
Yitzhaq Shami the Arabic language, one of the founders of the University of Cairo, and father of Pan-Arabism. Shami was sent to a Hebron yeshiva to study under Rabbi Chaim Hezekiah Medini, renowned author of the Sdei Chemed and Chief Rabbi of Hebron. Influenced by secular literature, he rebelled against religious education and was asked to leave the yeshiva over his "heretical attitudes." In 1905 at age 17, he moved to Jerusalem and enrolled in the Ezra Teacher's Training College, where he completed his studies in 1907. His father opposed his secular studies, while his mother secretly sent him money on occasion