Lord Carey of Clifton was speaking at a ceremony in Cheltenham to mark his appointment. The service also marked the renaming of the 93-year-old chapel at the Francis Close Hall campus as the University Chapel of St Mary and St Paul. Click on the link below to see photos of the colourful ceremony. 
Lord Carey said he was "passionately committed" to higher education, and he promised to support the work of the university "to the best of my ability". 
Universities are places where we are shaken through encounter and our boundaries of knowledge are extended. In a very real sense they should be an irritant in society, the grit in the oyster that may produce a pearl.  | | Lord Carey of Clifton |
He said: "I am honoured to be chosen as chancellor of a university that has a long-held Christian tradition reflected in its commitment to supporting educational opportunities for everyone, regardless of age, creed or background. "I am impressed by the calibre of teaching and research at the university and the strong links with the community it serves. I look forward to taking up my official duties and working closely with the university into the future." In a sermon to a congregation that included the Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Sir Henry Elwes, and the Right Rev David Bentley, Bishop of Gloucester, as well as university officials, students and former students, Lord Carey said he agreed with John Henry Newman who once said that a good university education "had moral outcomes." He went on: "Universities are places where we are shaken through encounter and our boundaries of knowledge are extended. Milestone "In a very real sense they should be an irritant in society, the grit in the oyster that may produce a pearl." The installation of Lord Carey marked a milestone in the history of the former Gloucestershire College of Higher Education which became a university in October 2001. The history of the constituent colleges from which it is formed stretches back over 150 years.  | | The university crest on Lord Carey's official robes |
Dame Janet Trotter, who is now principal and vice-chancellor, said: "The appointment of Lord Carey as our chancellor will support us as we journey forward as an institution. "He epitomises and manifests the values to which we aspire. His support and counsel will be invaluable as we look forward." Students Union president Caroline Leighton said: "It's a great honour to have such a high-profile person as our chancellor". Lord Carey's first formal act as chancellor will be to confer awards at the degree ceremonies to be held on November 5 at Cheltenham Town Hall. He will present his inaugural lecture in April 2004 on the theme of values in higher education.
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