Join us on our journey to advance knowledge.
Tracking the history of English with the Oxford English Dictionary
Join OED editors and guest speakers for a discussion where they will uncover a thousand years of the English language, from Old English to World Englishes.
Community Voices
Our community spans the world, and each person brings something new and unique to the conversation.
Reaching learners and educators across rural Africa
“We align our content closely with the local curriculum, and we are intentional about using stories, examples, and imagery that reflect the socio-economic environments learners experience daily.”
Charity Partnerships
Discover more about our charitable partners, and how we’re moving knowledge and learning forward together.
Book Aid International
Book Aid International helps create a more equal world where everyone has access to books that will enrich and improve their lives.
Continuing our long-standing support for Book Aid International, in 2024 we donated 61,400 books, providing educational and enrichment opportunities for readers in schools, libraries, universities, refugee settlements, prisons, and hospitals.
In addition, our financial support helped reach communities affected by conflict. We funded the delivery of 2,500 books to Ukraine and another 2,500 books to Lebanon.
AVBOB Road to Literacy
The AVBOB Road to Literacy campaign is designed to transform the educational experience of primary school learners in South Africa, particularly in under-resourced communities. Since its launch, the campaign has distributed over 1.3 million books and continues to bridge the gap in access to quality educational resources, ensuring that geography and circumstance do not limit a child’s potential.
Last year, we distributed 500 trolleys of books representing all 11 official written languages of South Africa to primary schools.
The Education Equality Institute
Over the past year, we supported a partnership between The Education Equality Institute (TEEI) and the Ukrainian parliament which aimed to enhance English language training for members of parliament in Ukraine as well as their support staff. We provided access to ebooks and online assessment tests to help improve English skills.
Our partnership supports TEEI’s commitment to offering English language learning opportunities through remote and online classes to those displaced in Ukraine or residing in other countries.
Poetry by Heart
Poetry by Heart is a free national poetry speaking competition, committed to developing students’ confidence with poetry in an accessible and engaging way. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has been involved since Poetry by Heart was founded in 2012, providing prizes and encouraging students to interpret and appreciate poems by linking from anthologies to OED definitions and resources.
The competition has continued to grow, and in 2025 more than 57,000 young people performed a poem for others, with 1,644 schools taking part in the competition.