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Encyclopedia > University of Cambridge

Updated 45 days 11 hours 13 minutes ago.
University of Cambridge

Latin: Universitas Cantabrigiensis
Motto: Hinc lucem et pocula sacra
Literal translation: “From here, light and sacred draughts”. Non-literal: “From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge”.
Established: c. 1209
Type: Public
Endowment: £4.1 billion (2006, incl. colleges)[1]
Chancellor: HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
Vice-Chancellor: Professor Alison Richard
Staff: 8,602[2]
Students: 18,022[2]
Undergraduates: 11,729[2]
Postgraduates: 6,293[2]
Location: Cambridge, England
Colours: Cambridge Blue      
Athletics: The Sporting Blue
Affiliations: Russell Group
Coimbra Group
EUA
LERU
IARU
Website: http://www.cam.ac.uk

The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Download high resolution version (1181x1483, 116 KB)Cambridge University Shield - embossed. ... For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... The date of establishment or date of founding of an institution is the date on which that institution chooses to claim as its starting point. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution, with the stipulation that it be invested, and the principal remain intact. ... A Chancellor is the head of a university. ... Prince Philip redirects here. ... A Vice-Chancellor (commonly called the VC) of a university in the United Kingdom, other Commonwealth countries, and some universities in Hong Kong, is the de facto head of the university. ... Professor¹ Alison Fettes Richard (born in Kent, United Kingdom) is the current Vice_Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. ... This article is about work. ... For other uses, see Student (disambiguation). ... In some educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a Bachelors degree. ... Degree ceremony at Cambridge. ... This article is about the city in England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... School colors are the colors chosen by a school to represent it on uniforms and other items of identification. ... Cambridge Blue is the colour commonly used by sports teams from Cambridge University. ... A University Sporting Blue is an award earned by sportsmen and sportswomen at Cambridge, Oxford, and some other universities for competing at the highest level of university sport. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Coimbra Group (CG) is a network of European universities that gathers 38 universities, some of which are among the oldest and most prestigious in Europe. ... The European University Association (EUA) is the main voice of the higher education community in Europe. ... According to its mission statement, the League of European Research Universities (LERU) is a group of European research-intensive universities committed to the values of high quality teaching within an environment of internationally competitive research. ... The International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) was launched in January 2006 as a leading co-operative network of 10 international research-intensive universities. ... A website (alternatively, Web site or web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that is hosted on one or several Web server(s), usually accessible via the Internet, cell phone or a LAN. A Web page is a document, typically written in HTML... This article is about the city in England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Map of medieval European universities This is a list of the oldest extant universities in the world. ... The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. ...


The University grew out of an association of scholars in the city of Cambridge that was formed, early records suggest, in 1209 by scholars leaving Oxford after a dispute with local townsfolk there.[3] The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. ... This article is about the city of Oxford in England. ...


The universities of Oxford and Cambridge are often jointly referred to as Oxbridge. In addition to cultural and practical associations as a historic part of English society, the two universities also have a long history of rivalry with each other. The University of Oxford (informally Oxford University), located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... Oxbridge is a name used to refer to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the two oldest in the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, collectively known as Oxbridge, are the two oldest and most famous universities in Britain. ...


Cantabrigian is the formal adjective meaning "of Cambridge University" which is also used as a term for the university's members (abbreviated as Cantab. in post-nominal letters for alumni).[4] Post-nominal letters also called Post-nominal initials or Post-nominal titles are letters placed after the name of an individual to indicate that that individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. ...

Contents

[edit] Organisation

Left to Right: The Senate House, Gonville & Caius College and the University Church (Great St Mary's) from King’s Parade
Left to Right: The Senate House, Gonville & Caius College and the University Church (Great St Mary's) from King’s Parade

Cambridge is a collegiate university, with its main functions divided between the central departments of the university and 31 colleges. In general, the departments perform research and provide centralised lectures to students, while the colleges are responsible for the domestic arrangements and welfare of undergraduate students, graduate students, post-doctoral researches and some University staff. The colleges also provide most of the small group teaching for undergraduates, referred to as supervisions. The 31 colleges are technically institutions independent of the university itself and enjoy considerable autonomy. For example, colleges decide which students they are to admit, and appoint their own fellows (senior members). In Cambridge, “the university” often refers to the University as distinct from the colleges. Download high resolution version (1081x768, 170 KB)The town centre of Cambridge with the University Church (Great St Marys) on the right, the Senate House of Cambridge University on the left, and Gonville and Caius College in the middle at the back. ... Download high resolution version (1081x768, 170 KB)The town centre of Cambridge with the University Church (Great St Marys) on the right, the Senate House of Cambridge University on the left, and Gonville and Caius College in the middle at the back. ... The Senate House of the University of Cambridge in the centre of the city is used mainly for degree ceremonies and formerly for meetings of the Council of the Senate. ... Full name Gonville and Caius College Motto Named after Edmund Gonville & John Caius Previous names Gonville Hall (1348), Gonville & Caius (1557) Established 1348, refounded 1557 Sister College(s) Brasenose College Master Sir Christopher Hum Location Trinity St Undergraduates 468 Postgraduates 291 Homepage Boatclub Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge is a... St Mary the Great with St Michael, also known as Great St Marys Church, is the church of the University of Cambridge, England. ... In the United Kingdom, a collegiate university is a university whose functions are divided between the central departments of the university and a number of colleges. ... This is a list of the colleges within the University of Cambridge. ... // Academia In British academic parlance, a tutorial is a small class of one, or only a few, students, in which the tutor (a professor or other academic staff member) gives individual attention to the students. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ...


[edit] Central administration

The current Chancellor of the university is the Duke of Edinburgh. The current Vice-Chancellor is Professor Alison Richard. The office of Chancellor, which is held for life, is mainly ceremonial, while the Vice-Chancellor is de facto the prinicipal academic and administrative officer. The University's internal governance is carried out almost entirely by its own members, with little external representation on its governing bodies with the exception of the Audit Committee. The governing body of the University is the Regent House (comprised of resident senior members of the University and the Colleges, together with the Chancellor, the High Steward, the Deputy High Steward, and the Commissary[citation needed]). The University Council is the principal executive and policy-making body of the University, and is subject to Regent House. Since January 2005, the membership of the Council has included two external members.[5] The General Board of the Faculties is responsible, subject to the Regent House and to the responsibilities of the Council, for the academic and educational policy of the University.[6] The Cambridge Reporter Regent House and The Senate consists of all holders of the MA degree or higher degrees. It elects the Chancellor and the High Steward; until their abolition in 1950, it elected Members to the House of Commons for the Cambridge University constituency, but otherwise it has not had a major role since 1926.[citation needed] A Chancellor is the head of a university. ... Prince Philip redirects here. ... A Vice-Chancellor (commonly called the VC) of a university in the United Kingdom, other Commonwealth countries, and some universities in Hong Kong, is the de facto head of the university. ... Professor¹ Alison Fettes Richard (born in Kent, United Kingdom) is the current Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. ... The Regent House is the name given to the governing body of the University of Cambridge. ... The High Steward in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge (sometimes erroneously known as the Lord High Steward) is a once important but now largely ceremonial university official. ... In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, the degree of Master of Arts (MA) is awarded to Bachelors of Arts of those universities on application after seven years seniority as members of the university. ... Type Lower House Speaker Michael Martin, (Non-affiliated) since October 23, 2000 Leader Harriet Harman, (Labour) since June 28, 2007 Shadow Leader Theresa May, (Conservative) since May 5, 2005 Members 659 Political groups Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party Plaid Cymru Democratic Unionist Party Sinn Féin... Cambridge University was a university constituency electing two members to the House of Commons, from 1603 to 1950. ...


[edit] Colleges

View over Trinity College, Gonville and Caius, Trinity Hall and Clare College towards King’s College Chapel, seen from St John’s College chapel. On the left, just in front of Kings College chapel, is the University Senate House
View over Trinity College, Gonville and Caius, Trinity Hall and Clare College towards King’s College Chapel, seen from St John’s College chapel. On the left, just in front of Kings College chapel, is the University Senate House

The University of Cambridge currently has 31 colleges, of which three admit only women (New Hall, Newnham and Lucy Cavendish). The remaining 28 are mixed, Magdalene being the last all-male college to begin admitting women in 1988. Two colleges admit only postgraduates (Clare Hall and Darwin), and four more admit mainly mature students or graduate students (Hughes Hall, Lucy Cavendish, St Edmund’s and Wolfson). The other 25 colleges admit both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Colleges are not required to admit students in all subjects, with some colleges choosing not to offer subjects such as architecture or history of art, but most offer close to the complete range. Some colleges maintain a bias towards certain subjects, for example with Churchill leaning towards the sciences and engineering.[7] Costs to students (accommodation and food prices) vary considerably from college to college.[citation needed] Photograph of Cambridge colleges seen from St Johns College Chapel Photo by Bob Tubbs I, the creator of this image, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Photograph of Cambridge colleges seen from St Johns College Chapel Photo by Bob Tubbs I, the creator of this image, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Full name The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity Motto Virtus vera nobilitas Virtue is true Nobility Named after The Holy Trinity Previous names King’s Hall and Michaelhouse (until merged in 1546) Established 1546 Sister College(s) Christ Church Master The Lord Rees of Ludlow Location Trinity Street... Full name Gonville and Caius College Motto Named after Edmund Gonville & John Caius Previous names Gonville Hall (1348), Gonville & Caius (1557) Established 1348, refounded 1557 Sister College(s) Brasenose College Master Sir Christopher Hum Location Trinity St Undergraduates 468 Postgraduates 291 Homepage Boatclub Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge is a... College name College of Scholars of the Holy Trinity of Norwich Named after The Holy Trinity Established 1350 Location Trinity Lane Admittance Men and women Master Prof. ... College name Clare College Named after Elizabeth de Clare Established 1326 Previously named University Hall (1326-1338) Clare Hall (1338-1856) Location Trinity Lane Admittance Men and women Master Prof. ... For other uses, see Kings College. ... College name The College of Saint John the Evangelist of the University of Cambridge Motto Souvent me Souvient (Latin: I often remember) Named after The Hospital of Saint John the Evangelist Established 1511 Location St. ... The Senate House of the University of Cambridge in the centre of the city is used mainly for degree ceremonies and formerly for meetings of the Council of the Senate. ... This is a list of the colleges within the University of Cambridge. ... In relation to universities, the term college normally refers to a part of the university which does not have degree-awarding powers in itself. ... Full name New Hall Motto - Named after - Previous names - Established 1954 Sister College(s) St Annes College, Oxford President Anne Lonsdale Location Huntingdon Road Undergraduates 377 Postgraduates 74 Homepage Boatclub New Hall is a women-only college in the University of Cambridge. ... Full name Newnham College Motto - Named after Its location in the village of Newnham Previous names Newnham Hall Established 1871 Sister College(s) Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford Principal Dame Patricia Hodgson Location Sidgwick Avenue Undergraduates 396 Postgraduates 120 Homepage N/A A view of the Clough and Kennedy buildings of... Full name Lucy Cavendish College Motto - Named after Lucy Cavendish Previous names - Established 1965 Sister College None President Dame Veronica Sutherland Location Lady Margaret Road Undergraduates 106 Graduates 116 Homepage Boatclub Lucy Cavendish College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge with a focus on the needs of... Full name The College of Saint Mary Magdalene Motto Garde ta Foy Keep your Faith Named after Mary Magdalene Previous names Buckingham College Established 1428 Sister College(s) Magdalen College Master Duncan Robinson Location Magdalene Street Undergraduates 335 Postgraduates 169 Homepage Boatclub Magdalene College (pronounced ) was founded in 1428 as... Quaternary education or postgraduate education is the fourth-stage educational level which follows the completion of an undergraduate degree at a college or university. ... Full name Clare Hall Motto - Named after Clare College Previous names - Established 1966, 1984 Sister College St Cross College President Prof. ... Full name Darwin College Motto - Named after The Darwin Family Previous names - Established 1964 Sister College(s) Wolfson College Master Prof. ... A mature student (aka adult student) in tertiary education (at a university or a college) is normally classified as an (undergraduate) student who is at least 21 years old (23 years old in Ireland) at the start of their course and usually having been away from school for at least... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Full name Hughes Hall Motto Disce ut Servus Named after Miss Elizabeth Phillips Hughes Previous names - Established 1885 Sister College(s) None President Prof. ... Full name Lucy Cavendish College Motto - Named after Lucy Cavendish Previous names - Established 1965 Sister College None President Dame Veronica Sutherland Location Lady Margaret Road Undergraduates 106 Graduates 116 Homepage Boatclub Lucy Cavendish College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge with a focus on the needs of... Full name Saint Edmunds College Motto per revelationem et rationem through revelation and reason Named after St Edmund of Abingdon Previous names St. ... Full name Wolfson College Motto Ring True Named after The Wolfson Foundation Previous names University College, Wolfson College (1972) Established 1965 Sister College Linacre College President Dr Gordon Johnson Location Barton Road Undergraduates 90 Graduates 510 Homepage Boatclub Wolfson College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of... In some educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a Bachelors degree. ... This article is about building architecture. ... This article is an overview of the history of art worldwide. ... College name Churchill College Motto Forward Named after Sir Winston Churchill Established 1960 Location Storey’s Way Admittance Men and women Master Sir David Wallace Undergraduates 440 Graduates 210 Sister college Trinity College, Oxford Official website Boat Club website Churchill College Main Entrance Churchill College is one of the constituent... A magnet levitating above a high-temperature superconductor demonstrates the Meissner effect. ... Engineering is the discipline of acquiring and applying knowledge of design, analysis, and/or construction of works for practical purposes. ...


There are several historical colleges which no longer exist, such as King’s Hall (founded in 1317) and Michaelhouse which were combined by King Henry VIII to establish Trinity in 1546, Gonville Hall which was founded in 1348 and then re-founded in 1557 as Gonville & Caius, and God's House which was re-founded as Christ's in 1505. Kings Hall was once one of the constituent colleges of Cambridge, and the 2nd to be founded, in 1317. ... Full name The Hall and College of Michaelhouse Motto Named after St. ... Henry VIII redirects here. ... Full name The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity Motto Virtus vera nobilitas Virtue is true Nobility Named after The Holy Trinity Previous names King’s Hall and Michaelhouse (until merged in 1546) Established 1546 Sister College(s) Christ Church Master The Lord Rees of Ludlow Location Trinity Street... Full name Gonville and Caius College Motto Named after Edmund Gonville & John Caius Previous names Gonville Hall (1348), Gonville & Caius (1557) Established 1348, refounded 1557 Sister College(s) Brasenose College Master Sir Christopher Hum Location Trinity St Undergraduates 468 Postgraduates 291 Homepage Boatclub Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge is a... College name Christ’s College Named after Jesus Christ Established 1505 Previously named God’s-house (1437-1505) Location St. ...


There are also several theological colleges in Cambridge, (for example Westminster College and Ridley Hall Theological College) that are loosely affiliated with the university through the Cambridge Theological Federation. Westminster College sits on one of the busier intersections of Cambridges ring road . Westminster College in Cambridge is a theological college of the Presbyterian Church in England, now the United Reformed Church. ... Ridley Hall is a theological college in Cambridge in the United Kingdom which trains intending ministers for the Church of England and other churches. ... The Cambridge Theological Federation is an association of theological colleges in Cambridge. ...


[edit] Research and teaching

The Fitzwilliam Museum, the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge
The Fitzwilliam Museum, the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge

Cambridge University has research departments and teaching faculties in most academic disciplines. Cambridge tends to have a slight bias towards scientific subjects, but it also has a number of strong humanities and social science faculties. Academic staff (and often graduate students for the larger subjects) teach the undergraduates in both lectures and personal supervisions in which a ratio of one teacher to between one and three students is usually maintained. This pedagogical system is often cited as being unique to the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford (where “supervisions” are known as “tutorials”) – similar practices can be found elsewhere, though not on the Oxbridge scale. Download high resolution version (1117x768, 254 KB)The main entrance to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. ... Download high resolution version (1117x768, 254 KB)The main entrance to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. ... The main entrance to the Fitzwilliam Museum, facing Trumpington Sreet. ... A magnet levitating above a high-temperature superconductor demonstrates the Meissner effect. ... For other uses, see Humanities (disambiguation). ... The social sciences are a group of academic disciplines that study human aspects of the world. ... Pedagogy (IPA: ) , the art or science of being a teacher, generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction[1]. The word comes from the Ancient Greek (paidagōgeō; from (child) and (lead)): literally, to lead the child”. In Ancient Greece, was (usually) a slave who supervised the... The University of Oxford (informally Oxford University), located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... Oxbridge is a name used to refer to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the two oldest in the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world. ...


All research and lectures are conducted by University Departments. The colleges are in charge of giving or arranging most supervisions, student accommodation, and funding most extracurricular activities. During the 1990s Cambridge added a substantial number of new specialist research laboratories on several University sites around the city, and major expansion continues on a number of sites[19].


Cambridge is a member of the Russell Group, a network of research-led British universities; the Coimbra Group, an association of leading European universities; the League of European Research Universities; and the International Alliance of Research Universities. It is also considered part of the "Golden Triangle", a geographical concentration of UK university research. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Coimbra Group (CG) is a network of European universities that gathers 38 universities, some of which are among the oldest and most prestigious in Europe. ... According to its mission statement, the League of European Research Universities (LERU) is a group of European research-intensive universities committed to the values of high quality teaching within an environment of internationally competitive research. ... The International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) was launched in January 2006 as a leading co-operative network of 10 international research-intensive universities. ... The Golden Triangle is a group of leading research UK universities. ...


See also Category:Departments of the University of Cambridge and Departments in the University of Cambridge


[edit] Finances

In late 2006, the total financial endowment of the university and the colleges was estimated at £4.1 billion (US$7.9 billion): £1.2 billion tied directly to the university, £2.9 billion to the colleges[8] – this endowment is arguably the largest in Europe.[9] Each college is an independent charitable institution with its own endowment, separate from that of the central university endowment.


If ranked on a US university endowment table using figures reported in 2006, Cambridge would rank sixth or seventh (depending on whether one includes the University of Texas System – which incorporates nine full scale universities and six health institutions), or fourth in a ranking compared with only the eight Ivy League institutions.[10] For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... The University of Texas System comprises fifteen educational institutions in Texas, of which nine are general academic universities and six are health institutions. ... For other uses, see Ivy League (disambiguation). ...


Comparisons between Cambridge's endowment and those of other top US universities are however inaccurate because being a state-funded public university, Cambridge receives a major portion of its income through education and research grants from the British Government. In 2006, it was reported that approximately one third of Cambridge’s income comes from UK government funding for teaching and research, with another third coming from other research grants. Endowment income contributes around 6%.[11]


The operating budget of Cambridge for the fiscal year 05/06 was approximately €522 million,[2] which is around the same as Princeton's, or half that of Yale's which has an endowment 5.5 times that of Cambridge's. Princeton University is a private coeducational research university located in Princeton, New Jersey. ... Yale redirects here. ...


In 2005, the Cambridge 800th Anniversary Campaign was launched, aimed at raising £1 billion by 2012 – the first US-style university fundraising campaign in Europe. £300 million of funds had already been secured in the pre-launch period.


[edit] Reputation

Results for the Cambridge Mathematical Tripos are read out inside Senate House and then tossed from the balcony.
Results for the Cambridge Mathematical Tripos are read out inside Senate House and then tossed from the balcony.

According to UCAS, Cambridge and Oxford are the most academically selective universities in the United Kingdom — there is a special national admissions process which sets Oxbridge apart from other British universities. Traditionally, Cambridge applicants have had to fill the Cambridge Application Form (CAF) in addition to UCAS although this will no longer be necessary for entry beginning 2009, being replaced with a more standard supplementary information form, in line with other universities in the UK.[12] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (730x994, 415 KB)Picture taken by me, June 23, 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (730x994, 415 KB)Picture taken by me, June 23, 2005. ... Results for parts II and III of the Mathematical Tripos are read out inside Senate House, University of Cambridge and then tossed from the balcony. ... Class lists for Part III of the Mathematical Tripos, June 2005 The Senate House of the University of Cambridge in the centre of the city is used mainly for degree ceremonies and formerly for meetings of the Council of the Senate. ... This page is about the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. ... Oxbridge is a name used to refer to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the two oldest in the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world. ...


In the most recent British Government Research Assessment Exercise in 2001,[13] Cambridge was ranked first in the country. In 2005, it was reported that Cambridge produces more PhDs per year than any other British university (over 30% more than second placed Oxford).[14] In 2006, a Thomson Scientific study showed that Cambridge has the highest research paper output of any British university, and is also the top research producer (as assessed by total paper citation count) in 10 out of 21 major British research fields analysed (Imperial College came second, leading in 3 fields).[15] Another study published the same year by Evidence showed that Cambridge won a larger proportion (6.6%) of total British research grants and contracts than any other university (coming first in three out of four broad discipline fields).[16] The Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) is an exercise undertaken every 5 years on behalf of the four UK higher education funding councils (HEFCE, SHEFC, HEFCW, DELNI) to evaluate the quality of research undertaken by British higher education institutions. ... Connecticut-based Thomson Scientific & Healthcare is one of the four operating divisions of The Thomson Corporation. ... Royal School of Mines Entrance Imperial College London is a college of the University of London which focuses on science and technology, and is located in South Kensington in London. ...


Historically, the university has produced a significant proportion of Britain’s prominent scientists, writers and politicians. Officially, affiliates of Cambridge University have won a total of 82 Nobel Prizes,[17] more than any other university in the world, by some accounts[18] and more than any country in the world except the United Kingdom and the United States. Seventy of these Nobel Laureates also attended Cambridge as undergraduate or graduate students. In addition, there are at least six Nobel Laureates who taught or researched for an extended period at Cambridge who have not been recognised by the official total.[citation needed] This article is about the profession. ... A writer is anyone who creates a written work, although the word more usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, or those who have written in many different forms. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A politician is an individual who is a formally recognized and active member of a government, or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. ... Nobel Prizes have always been a source of pride for universities, suggesting their excellence in teaching or in providing research opportunities. ... The following persons attended the University of Cambridge but did not necessarily complete a degree course there. ...


In addition to a long distinguished tradition in the humanities and the arts, the University of Cambridge is especially known for producing prominent scientists and mathematicians. This distinguished list includes Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, William Harvey, Paul Dirac, J. J. Thomson, Ernest Rutherford, Jane Goodall, James Clerk Maxwell, Francis Crick, Alan Turing, Stephen Hawking, and Fred Sanger. Sir Isaac Newton FRS (4 January 1643 – 31 March 1727) [ OS: 25 December 1642 – 20 March 1727][1] was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, and alchemist. ... For other people of the same surname, and places and things named after Charles Darwin, see Darwin. ... This article is about William Harvey, the English doctor. ... Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac, OM, FRS (IPA: [dɪræk]) (August 8, 1902 – October 20, 1984) was a British theoretical physicist and a founder of the field of quantum physics. ... Sir Joseph John “J.J.” Thomson, OM, FRS (18 December 1856 – 30 August 1940) was a British physicist and Nobel laureate, credited for the discovery of the electron and of isotopes, and the invention of the mass spectrometer. ... Ernest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson OM PC FRS (30 August 1871 – 19 October 1937), widely referred to as Lord Rutherford, was a chemist (B.Sc. ... Jane Goodall, DBE (born April 3, 1934) is an English UN Messenger of Peace, primatologist, ethologist, and anthropologist. ... James Clerk Maxwell (13 June 1831 – 5 November 1879) was a Scottish mathematician and theoretical physicist. ... Francis Harry Compton Crick OM FRS (8 June 1916 – 28 July 2004), (Ph. ... Alan Mathison Turing, OBE, FRS (23 June 1912 – 7 June 1954) was an English mathematician, logician, and cryptographer. ... Stephen William Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA, (born 8 January 1942) is a British theoretical physicist. ... This article or section should be merged with Frederick Sanger Fred Sanger (born 1918), is an English biochemist, the winner of two Nobel prizes in Chemistry. ...


The university is also closely linked with the development of the high-tech business cluster in and around Cambridge, which forms the area known as Silicon Fen or sometimes the “Cambridge Phenomenon”. In 2004, it was reported that Silicon Fen was the second largest venture capital market in the world, after Silicon Valley. Estimates reported in February 2006 suggest that there were about 250 active startup companies directly linked with the university, worth around US$6 billion.[19] Silicon Fen (sometimes the Cambridge Cluster) is the name given to the region around Cambridge, England, which is home to a large cluster of high-tech businesses, especially those related to software, electronics, and biotechnology. ... Venture capital is a general term to describe financing for startup and early stage businesses as well as businesses in turn around situations. ... For the Nintendo 64 game, see Space Station Silicon Valley. ... A startup company is a company with a limited operating history. ...


[edit] League Table Rankings

UK
2008 2007 2006 2005
Times Good University Guide 2nd[20] 2nd[21] 2nd[22]
Guardian University Guide 2nd[23] 1st[24] 2nd[25]
Sunday Times University Guide 1st[26] 1st[27] 1st[27]
Daily Telegraph 1st[28]
World
2007 2006 2005 2004 2003
THES - QS World University Rankings 2nd 2nd[29] 3rd[30]
Academic Ranking of World Universities 4th[31] 2nd[32] 2nd[33] 3rd[34] 5th[35]

The THES - QS rankings also placed Cambridge first in the international academic reputation peer review, first in the natural sciences, first in biomedicine, first in the arts & humanities, fourth in the social sciences, and sixth in technology. A 2006 Newsweek ranking which combined elements of the Jiao Tong survey with other factors that purportedly evaluated an institution's global "openness and diversity" suggested that Cambridge was ranked 6th in the world overall.[36] A 2007 ranking by Webometrics which only attempts to evaluate the internet publication activities of universities, placed Cambridge at 19th in the world overall.[37] In all these surveys, Cambridge was the highest ranked non-US institution. (Note that all university rankings are subject to controversy about their methodology, and that the THES - QS and Jiao Tong tables are the only annual comprehensive international rankings by academic specialists available). The THES - QS World University Rankings is an annual publication of university rankings around the world, published by The Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) and Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). ... // One of the well known rankings, THES - QS publishes an annual report about world rankings. ... The Michelson–Morley experiment was used to disprove that light propagated through a luminiferous aether. ... For the chemical substances known as medicines, see medication. ... For other uses, see Humanities (disambiguation). ... The social sciences are a group of academic disciplines that study human aspects of the world. ... By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a mastery of technology sufficient to leave the surface of the Earth for the first time and explore space. ... The Newsweek logo Newsweek is a weekly news magazine published in New York City and distributed throughout the United States and internationally. ... The science of webometrics (also cybermetrics, web metrics) tries to measure the Internet to get knowledge about number and types of hyperlinks, structure of the World Wide Web and usage patterns. ...


[edit] History

[edit] Early history

Roger of Wendover wrote that Cambridge University could trace its origins to a crime committed in 1209. Although not always a reliable source, the detail given in his contemporaneous writings lends them credence. Two Oxford scholars were convicted of the murder or manslaughter of a woman and were hanged by the town authorities with the assent of the King. In protest at the hanging, the University of Oxford went into voluntary suspension, and scholars migrated to a number of other locations, including the pre-existing school at Cambridge (Cambridge had been recorded as a “school” rather than university when John Grim held the office of Master there in 1201). These post-graduate researchers from Oxford started Cambridge’s life as a university in 1209. Cambridge’s status as a university is further confirmed by a decree in 1233 from Pope Gregory IX which awarded the ius non trahi extra (a form of legal protection) to the chancellor and universitas of scholars at Cambridge. After Cambridge was described as a studium generale in a letter by Pope Nicholas IV in 1290, and confirmed as such in a bull by Pope John XXII in 1318, it became common for researchers from other European medieval universities to come and visit Cambridge to study or to give lecture courses.[38] Roger of Wendover (d. ... The University of Oxford (informally Oxford University), located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino dei Conti, was pope from 1227 to August 22, 1241. ... Studium Generale is the old name for a medieval university which was registered as an institution of international excellence by the Holy Roman Empire. ... Nicholas IV, né Girolamo Masci (Lisciano, a small village near Ascoli Piceno, September 30, 1227 – April 4, 1292), was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. ... Pope John XXII, born Jacques Duèze or dEuse (1249 – December 4, 1334), was the son of a shoemaker in Cahors. ... The first European medieval universities were established in Italy and France in the late 12th and early 13th Century for the study of arts, law, medicine, and theology. ...


[edit] Foundation of the Colleges

Clare College (left) and King’s College Chapel (centre), seen from The Backs
Clare College (left) and King’s College Chapel (centre), seen from The Backs

Cambridge’s colleges were originally an incidental feature of the system. No college is as old as the university itself. The colleges were endowed fellowships of scholars. There were also institutions without endowments, called hostels. The hostels were gradually absorbed by the colleges over the centuries, but they have left some indicators of their time, such as the name of Garrett Hostel Lane. Download high resolution version (1025x768, 217 KB)The west end of Kings College Chapel seen from The Backs. ... Download high resolution version (1025x768, 217 KB)The west end of Kings College Chapel seen from The Backs. ... College name Clare College Named after Elizabeth de Clare Established 1326 Previously named University Hall (1326-1338) Clare Hall (1338-1856) Location Trinity Lane Admittance Men and women Master Prof. ... For other uses, see Kings College. ... The Backs, or the Backs of the Colleges refers to an area of Cambridge at the rear of several colleges by the River Cam. ...


Hugh Balsham, Bishop of Ely, founded Peterhouse in 1284, Cambridge’s first college. Many colleges were founded during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, but colleges continued to be established throughout the centuries to modern times, although there was a gap of 204 years between the founding of Sidney Sussex in 1596 and Downing in 1800. The most recent college established is Robinson, built in the late 1970s. Hugh de Balsham (d. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      This article... Statistics Population: 15,102 Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: TL535799 Administration District: East Cambridgeshire Shire county: Cambridgeshire Region: East of England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Cambridgeshire Historic county: Cambridgeshire Services Police force: Ambulance service: East of England Post office and telephone Post town: ELY... College name Peterhouse Named after Saint Peter Established 1284 Previously named The Scholars of the Bishop of Ely Saint Peter’s College Location Trumpington Street Admittance Men and women Master The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn Undergraduates 284 Graduates 130 Sister college Merton College, Oxford Official website Boat Club website Peterhouse... College name The College of the Lady Frances Sidney Sussex Motto Dieu me Garde de Calomnie (French: God preserve me from calumny) Founder Lady Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex Established 1596 Location Sidney Street Admittance Men and women Master Prof. ... Full name Downing College Motto Quaerere Verum Seek the truth Named after Sir George Downing Previous names - Established 1800 Sister College(s) Lincoln College Master Prof. ... College name Robinson College Named after Sir David Robinson Established 1977 Location Grange Road Admittance Men and women Warden (Anthony) David Yates Undergraduates 397 Graduates 105 Sister college St Catherines College, Oxford Official website Boat Club website Robinson College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of...


In medieval times, colleges were founded so that their students would pray for the souls of the founders. For that reason they were often associated with chapels or abbeys. A change in the colleges’ focus occurred in 1536 with the dissolution of the monasteries. King Henry VIII ordered the university to disband its Faculty of Canon Law and to stop teaching “scholastic philosophy”. In response, colleges changed their curricula away from canon law and towards the classics, the Bible, and mathematics. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... For other uses, see Prayer (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Soul (disambiguation). ... A chapel is a private church, usually small and often attached to a larger institution such as a college, a hospital, a palace, or a prison. ... Bold textTHIS IS THE PAGE THAT A.S. REALLY NEEDS!! THIS IS NOW MARKED!!! ] ps i like A.O. This article is about an abbey as a Christian monastic community. ... For other uses of the term dissolution see Dissolution. ... Henry VIII redirects here. ... Scholastic redirects here. ... For other uses, see Classics (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Bible (disambiguation). ... For other meanings of mathematics or uses of math and maths, see Mathematics (disambiguation) and Math (disambiguation). ...


[edit] Mathematics

From the time of Isaac Newton in the later 17th century until the mid-19th century, the university maintained a strong emphasis on mathematics. Study of this subject was compulsory for graduation, and students were required to take an exam for the Bachelor of Arts degree, the main first degree at Cambridge in both arts and science subjects. This exam is known as a Tripos. Sir Isaac Newton FRS (4 January 1643 – 31 March 1727) [ OS: 25 December 1642 – 20 March 1727][1] was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, and alchemist. ... A B.A. issued from the University of Tennessee. ... The University of Cambridge, England, divides the different kinds of honours bachelors degree by Tripos, a word which has an obscure etymology, but which may be traced to the three-legged stool candidates once used to sit on when taking oral examinations. ...


Students awarded first-class honours after completing the mathematics Tripos were named wranglers. The Cambridge Mathematical Tripos was competitive and helped produce some of the most famous names in British science, including James Clerk Maxwell, Lord Kelvin, and Lord Rayleigh. However, some famous students, such as G. H. Hardy, disliked the system, feeling that people were too interested in accumulating marks in exams and not interested in the subject itself. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... At the University of Cambridge, a wrangler is a student who has completed the third year (called Part II) of the Mathematical Tripos with first-class honours. ... Results for parts II and III of the Mathematical Tripos are read out inside Senate House, University of Cambridge and then tossed from the balcony. ... James Clerk Maxwell (13 June 1831 – 5 November 1879) was a Scottish mathematician and theoretical physicist. ... For other persons named William Thomson, see William Thomson (disambiguation). ... John William Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh (12 November 1842 – 30 June 1919) was an English physicist who (with William Ramsay) discovered the element argon, an achievement that earned him the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1904. ... Godfrey Harold Hardy FRS (February 7, 1877 Cranleigh, Surrey, England [1] – December 1, 1947 Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England [2]) was a prominent English mathematician, known for his achievements in number theory and mathematical analysis. ...


Although diversified in its research and teaching interests, Cambridge today maintains its strength in mathematics. The Isaac Newton Institute, part of the university, is widely regarded as the UK’s national research institute for mathematics and theoretical physics. Cambridge alumni have won eight Fields Medals and one Abel Prize for mathematics. The University also runs a special Certificate of Advanced Studies in Mathematics course. Opened in 1992, the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences is the United Kingdoms de facto national research institute for mathematics and theoretical physics. ... The obverse of the Fields Medal The Fields Medal is a prize awarded to two, three, or four mathematicians not over 40 years of age at each International Congress of the International Mathematical Union, a meeting that takes place every four years. ... The Abel Prize is awarded annually by the King of Norway to outstanding mathematicians. ... CASM stands for Certificate of Advanced Studies in Mathematics. It is both the culmination of the Cambridge University mathematics degree, as an additional year for those who wish to go on beyond the BA course, and a separate graduate course which accepts many people coming from other universities. ...


[edit] Contributions to the advancement of science

Many of the most important scientific discoveries and revolutions were made by Cambridge alumni. These include:

Scientific method is a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. ... For other persons named Francis Bacon, see Francis Bacon (disambiguation). ... Newtons First and Second laws, in Latin, from the original 1687 edition of the Principia Mathematica. ... Sir Isaac Newton in Knellers portrait of 1689. ... For other uses, see Electron (disambiguation). ... Sir Joseph John “J.J.” Thomson, OM, FRS (18 December 1856 – 30 August 1940) was a British physicist and Nobel laureate, credited for the discovery of the electron and of isotopes, and the invention of the mass spectrometer. ... Electromagnetism is the physics of the electromagnetic field: a field which exerts a force on particles that possess the property of electric charge, and is in turn affected by the presence and motion of those particles. ... James Clerk Maxwell (13 June 1831 – 5 November 1879) was a Scottish mathematician and theoretical physicist. ... This article is about the chemistry of hydrogen. ... For other persons named Henry Cavendish, see Henry Cavendish (disambiguation). ... This article is about evolution in biology. ... For other uses, see Natural selection (disambiguation). ... For other people of the same surname, and places and things named after Charles Darwin, see Darwin. ... For the test of artificial intelligence, see Turing test. ... Alan Mathison Turing, OBE, FRS (23 June 1912 – 7 June 1954) was an English mathematician, logician, and cryptographer. ... The structure of part of a DNA double helix Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is a nucleic acid molecule that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms. ... Francis Harry Compton Crick OM FRS (8 June 1916 – 28 July 2004), (Ph. ... James Dewey Watson (born April 6, 1928) is an American molecular biologist, best known as one of the co-discoverers of the structure of DNA. Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins were awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic...

[edit] Women’s education

Originally all students were male. The first colleges for women were Girton College (founded by Emily Davies) in 1869 and Newnham College in 1872. The first women students were examined in 1882 but attempts to make women full members of the university did not succeed until 1947. Although Cambridge did not give degrees to women until this date women were in fact allowed to study courses, sit examinations, and have their results recorded from the nineteenth century onwards. In the twentieth century women could be given a “titular degree”; although they were not denied recognised qualifications, without a full degree they were excluded from the governing of the university. Since students must belong to a college, and since established colleges remained closed to women, women found admissions restricted to colleges established only for women. All of the men’s colleges began to admit women between 1960 and 1988. One women’s college, Girton, also began to admit men, but the other women’s colleges did not follow suit. In the academic year 2004–5, the university’s student gender ratio, including post-graduates, was male 52%: female 48% (Source: Cambridge University Reporter, [20]). Full name Girton College Motto - Better is wisdom than weapons of war (Alumni) Named after Girton Village Previous names The College for Women (1869), Girton College (1872) Established 1869 Sister College(s) Somerville College Mistress Professor Dame Marilyn Strathern Location Huntingdon Road Undergraduates 503 Postgraduates 201 Homepage Boatclub Girton College... Cover of book of Emily Davies collected letters This article is about the womens education advocate. ... Full name Newnham College Motto - Named after Its location in the village of Newnham Previous names Newnham Hall Established 1871 Sister College(s) Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford Principal Dame Patricia Hodgson Location Sidgwick Avenue Undergraduates 396 Postgraduates 120 Homepage N/A A view of the Clough and Kennedy buildings of...


[edit] Admissions

The Centre for Mathematical Sciences in West Cambridge, home to a number of new faculty buildings.
The Centre for Mathematical Sciences in West Cambridge, home to a number of new faculty buildings.

The application system to Cambridge and Oxford often involves additional requirements, with candidates typically called to face-to-face interviews. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 551 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 551 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... The Centre for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge houses the universitys Faculty of Mathematics, the Isaac Newton Institute, and the Betty and Gordon Moore Library. ... The University of Oxford (informally Oxford University), located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ...


How applicants perform in the interview process best determines which candidates are accepted.[39] Most applicants are expected to be predicted at least three A-grade A-level qualifications relevant to their chosen undergraduate course, or equivalent overseas qualifications. Due to a very high proportion of applicants receiving the highest school grades, the interview process is crucial for distinguishing the most able candidates.[39] In 2005, 5,325 students were rejected who went on to get 3 A levels or more at grade A, representing about 60% of all applicants rejected.[40] The interview is performed by College Fellows, who evaluate candidates on unexamined factors such as potential for original thinking and creativity.[41] For exceptional candidates, a Matriculation Offer is sometimes offered, requiring only two A-levels at grade E or above -