Oxford University's vice-chancellor has defended the university's diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) policy amid a row over a student who hailed activist Charlie Kirk's assassination last month.
Professor Irene Tracey appeared to reply to a row over George Abarayone, the Oxford Union president-elect, in her annual address.
She said the University has "a commitment to DEI, as we are practising it, goes hand in hand with our commitment to academic freedom and free speech".
Professor Tracey added that no student should be excluded if they "had the smarts".
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Mr Abarayone was criticised over his posts on social media about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
In the immediate aftermath of Mr Kirk's killing, the president-elect wrote: "Charlie Kirk got shot, let's f**king go."
Another message, believed to be from his Instagram account, read: "Charlie Kirk got shout loool," an elongated version of the term "laughing out loud".
Mr Abarayone has since deleted his comments and publicly retracted them.
George Abaraonye previously served as the Oxford African and Caribbean Society's vice-president
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Dozens of former Oxford Union leaders demanded his resignation after the posts, which also led to questions about whether Mr Abaraonye benefited from DEI initiatives.
The president-elect achieved ABB in his A-levels, despite his course requiring AAA in most cases.
People suggested online that Mr Abaraonye earned his place at the university because of his race.
Oxford's DEI policies are based on social deprivation and not race.
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Professor Tracey claimed that the reason Oxford is still top of the league tables is because of its "universe of diverse ideas that comes from a diversity of talent".
She said: "Let me be clear: no one is excluded if you have the smarts... but our school system and Covid have impacted educational attainment and confidence very unevenly.
"We will use our smarts to keep finding those students with raw smarts, so don't be put off applying."
Alluding to the decision US President Donald Trump made to ban "illegal" DEI policies, Professor Tracey said: "We follow with close interest the extensive public debate on DEI in US universities."
The professor said Oxford is a 'universe of diverse ideas that comes from a diversity of talent'
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She continued: "At Oxford, we have crafted a distinctive path, grounded in centuries of tradition, finding the best talent, wherever we can, and then striving to ensure that talent thrives once here.
"This is where we stand, and it is where the middle ground of British public opinion stands too.
"Oxford is a universe of diverse ideas, and that comes from a diversity of talent. It is the bedrock for creative invention that benefits all. That's how and why we stay number one."
Professor Tracey concluded that people should "needle [out] the negative" and focus on being "kind and generous people who share a profound sense of fair play".
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