The College is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Dame Stephanie ‘Steve’ Shirley, CH, DBE, CEng, FBSC, FREng, CITP, who passed away on 6 August 2025 at the age of 91. A Foundation Fellow since 2001 and one of Balliol’s most generous benefactors, Dame Stephanie made a significant impact on the College and the wider University through her vision and philanthropy.
Arriving in Britain as a child in 1939 on the Kindertransport rescue of Jewish children, Dame Stephanie was determined to live, in her own words, ‘a life worth saving.’ She went on to become a trailblazer in the early computing industry, opening doors for women in technology when few opportunities existed.
After retiring in 1993, she devoted herself to philanthropy, giving her wealth to causes close to her heart, including autism research, technological innovation, and the advancement of women in technical fields. Her generosity was instrumental in the establishment of the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) in 2001 and the conversion of St Cross Church into the current Historic Archives Centre.
Reflecting on her legacy, Dame Helen Ghosh (Master) said: ‘The College has lost one of its greatest friends. Dame Stephanie’s impact on Balliol in the 21st century has been immeasurable. She changed the whole landscape of the College through her extraordinary generosity in funding the Oxford Internet Institute in 2001 and then a decade later the conversion of St Cross Church into our Historic Archives Centre. She loved Balliol and wanted it to thrive in every way, sharing with students and staff the wisdom and experience of a life so well-lived. She was someone to whom successive Masters knew they could always turn for invaluable advice and encouragement. We will all miss her and treasure her memory.’
An obituary will be published in the Balliol College Annual Record 2026.
Further tributes can be read in the BBC article on Dame Stephanie and the OII In Memoriam article.