Members of the Leventis family with University of Exeter Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Steve Smith.
L-R Anastasios Leventis, A P Leventis, Sir Steve Smith, and Edmee Leventis.

£240,000 additional support for Classics and Ancient History

The A.G. Leventis Foundation has extended its support of Classics at the University of Exeter with a further donation of £241,990 over three years. This takes the total value of the Foundation’s support to more than £1 million since the partnership was first formed 20 years ago.

This latest funding will cover a three-year fixed-term Postdoctoral Research Fellowship working in the field of Hellenic Studies, and two three-year Postgraduate Studentships for students undertaking research in the Department of Classics and Ancient History.

The Studentships, which have been partially funded through the University of Exeter’s Diamond Jubilee Doctoral Scholarship Match Fund, will carry out pioneering research and further the understanding of Greek culture and its impact on the world.

The Fellowship will offer an excellent opportunity for an early career scholar to gain valuable experience in both research and undergraduate teaching. The Fellow will pursue research into ancient Greek society and its legacy, particularly focusing on political thought and medicine and science.

Dr Richard Flower, Senior Lecturer in Classics, said: “These new positions will provide a fantastic opportunity for some of the most talented researchers to further develop their research and establish themselves in their academic field, at a time when public funding opportunities are being reduced. We are very grateful to the A.G. Leventis Foundation for their continued commitment to the work we are doing here.”

The A.G. Leventis Foundation has previously supported seven PhD students, as well as funding two research posts within the University, the Leventis Lectureship in the Impact of Greek Culture, and the Leventis Lecture Series. More recently the Foundation has also extended its support to include research in the Department of Earth Sciences.

Anastasios Leventis (Classics, 1994), trustee of the Foundation, said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with the University of Exeter and to support the talented researchers within the Classics Department. We are committed to developing global understanding of Greek and Cypriot cultural heritage and supporting quality research and teaching, through initiatives such as these Studentships and Fellowships, helps us to achieve this.”

Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive at the University of Exeter, said: “The University deeply values its relationship with The A.G. Leventis Foundation, a key philanthropic partner in the advancement of the study of Classics at Exeter. The Foundation’s support, which exceeds £1million, has played a vital role in building research excellence at Exeter.

“Over the past twenty years, generations of early-career academics, graduate students and undergraduates have benefitted enormously from Leventis-funded research and teaching at Exeter.  We are excited to continue to strengthen our dynamic partnership through this latest gift, as we look to achieve our shared values of supporting high-level teaching and research.”

Date: 9 February 2018