THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE IN UK

History

The University of Cambridge is rich in history - its famous Colleges and University buildings attract visitors from all over the world. But the University's museums and collections also hold many treasures which give an exciting insight into some of the scholarly activities, both past and present, of the University's academics and students.

The University of Cambridge is one of the world's oldest universities and leading academic centres, and a self-governed community of scholars. Its reputation for outstanding academic achievement is known world-wide and reflects the intellectual achievement of its students, as well as the world-class original research carried out by the staff of the University and the Colleges.

Many of the University's customs and unusual terminology can be traced to roots in the early years of the University's long history, and this booklet looks to the past to find the origins of much that is distinctive in the University of today.

Early records

When we first come across Cambridge in written records, it was already a considerable town. The bridge across the River Cam or Granta, from which the town took its name, had existed since at least 875. The town was an important trading centre before the Domesday survey was compiled in 1086, by which time a castle stood on the rising ground to the north of the bridge, and there were already substantial commercial and residential properties as well as several churches in the main settlement which lay south of the bridge.

Within the town, or very close to it, there were a number of other religious institutions. There had been canons in the Church of St Giles below the castle before 1112, when they moved to a new site across the River Cam at Barnwell, and the Convent of St Radegund had existed since 1135 on the site which eventually became Jesus College. There were also two hospitals, one reserved for lepers at Stourbridge, and a second, founded for paupers and dedicated to St John, which after 1200 occupied the site where St John's College now stands. Seventeen miles north of the town was the great Benedictine house of Ely which, after 1109, was the seat of a Bishopric.

There was thus much to bring clerks (clergymen) to the town, but traders were also attracted to it. After about 1100 they could reach Cambridge easily by the river systems which drained the whole of the East Midlands, and through Lynn and Ely they had access to the sea. Much wealth accumulated in the town, and the eleven surviving medieval parish churches and at least one handsome stone house remain as evidence of this. There were food markets before 1066, and during the twelfth century the nuns of St Radegund were allowed to set up a fair on their own land at Garlic Lane; the canons of Barnwell had a fair in June (later Midsummer Fair), and the leper hospital was granted the right to hold a fair which developed into the well-known and long-lasting Stourbridge Fair.

By 1200, Cambridge was a thriving commercial community which was also a county town and had at least one school of some distinction. Then, in 1209, scholars taking refuge from hostile townsmen in Oxford migrated to Cambridge and settled there. At first they lived in lodgings in the town, but in time houses were hired as hostels with a Master in charge of the students. By 1226 the scholars were numerous enough to have set up an organisation, represented by an official called a Chancellor, and seem to have arranged regular courses of study, taught by their own members. From the start there was friction between the town and the students. Students, usually aged about fourteen or fifteen, often caused disturbances; citizens of the town, on the other hand, were known to overcharge for rooms and food. King Henry III took the scholars under his protection as early as 1231 and arranged for them to be sheltered from exploitation by their landlords. At the same time he tried to ensure that they had a monopoly of teaching, by an order that only those enrolled under the tuition of a recognised master were to be allowed to remain in the town.

How the University and Colleges work

With more than 18,000 students from all walks of life and all corners of the world, nearly 9,000 staff, 31 Colleges and 150 Departments, Faculties, Schools and other institutions, no two days are ever the same at the University of Cambridge.

At the heart of this confederation of Departments, Schools, Faculties and Colleges is a central administration team. It is small because the Colleges are self-governing and teaching staff carry out much of the daily administration at Cambridge.

Structure

The University is a confederation of Schools, Faculties, Departments and Colleges. The Colleges are governed by their own statutes and regulations, but are integral to the make-up of the University of Cambridge.

Colleges

Students live, eat and socialise in one of the University’s 31 autonomous Colleges. Undergraduates receive College supervisions – small group teaching sessions – regarded as one of the best teaching models in the world.

Each College has its own internal procedures. They select their own students, subject to University regulations, and most admit both undergraduate and postgraduate students. College representatives sit on the University Council and Finance Committee.

Schools

There are six Schools, which each form an administrative grouping of Faculties and other institutions. They are: Arts and Humanities, Biological Sciences, Clinical Medicine, Humanities and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Technology.

There is a Council of each School – including representatives of its Faculties and Departments. The Schools are represented on the General Board.

Faculties and Departments

University Faculties organise teaching and research into individual subjects or groups of subjects. Their work is normally organised into sub-divisions called Departments.

Centres of studies are controlled by committees of management, bringing together representatives from several disciplines.

Glossary of Cambridge terminology

Academic year – Extends from 1 October to 30 September and is divided into three terms, two vacations and the Research Period.

Admission – Undergraduate students are selected and admitted by the Colleges, through the agency of the Cambridge Admissions Office. Graduate students apply through the Board of Graduate Studies, which helps to arrange admission to a College.

Congregation – A meeting of the Regent House for the formal conduct of certain items of University business, principally admission of degrees. Congregations take place in the Senate House regularly throughout the year.

Discussions – Discussions are the forum in which members of the University can comment publicly on University business. They take place on Tuesdays at 2pm and are usually held in the Senate House.

Emeritus/Emerita – A term applied to a Vice-Chancellor, Professor, Reader, and holder of certain other senior positions, who has retired after the age of sixty. In Cambridge, the term is not conferred as an individual mark of distinction.

Esquire Bedells – Two officials whose duties are ceremonial. They have certain important responsibilities at congregations. The Senior Esquire Bedell has a general responsibility for the correct formulation and wearing of academical dress.

Fellow – A senior member of a College, elected to a particular position of authority and responsibility in relation to the academic work and government of the College.

Full term – The central portion of each term during which teaching takes place and members of the University are normally expected to be in residence.

General Admission – Three congregations held towards the end of June each year are termed ‘Days of General Admission to Degrees’. These are the occasions on which the majority of undergraduates who have completed their final year proceed in person to their first degrees. Degrees are also conferred at eight other congregations in the course of the year.

Long Vacation – The three terms are separated by three vacations (Christmas, Easter and Long Vacation) during which undergraduate teaching is suspended. The Long Vacation is also known as the Research Period.

Master of Arts – In most UK universities, the Master of Arts is a degree awarded by examination. At Cambridge, the MA is conferred by right on holders of the BA degree of the University and on certain other senior members. It is not available as a postgraduate qualification.

Matriculation – New students of the University matriculate (or join the roll) when they enrol or register at their College, signing a declaration that they will obey the University regulations. There has been no formal University ceremony since 1962.

Notices – The Council’s response to remarks made in a Discussion is given in a Notice published in the Reporter. A Notice normally ends with the submission of a Grace to the Regent House, incorporating any amendments made following the Discussion.

Ordinances – The University Statutes allow the University to make regulations, known as Ordinances, for the proper conduct of its affairs. They are made either by Regent House, the Senate or the General Board.

Residence – Most students and academic staff are required to be in residence during each period of Full Term; unless specially exempted, staff and students must live within a prescribed radius of Great St Mary's Church. Students may not generally proceed to their degrees unless their Colleges certify that they have 'kept terms' by being in residence for the specified period.

Scarlet Day – Days on which Doctors of the University are required to wear in public their festal or scarlet gowns. The permanent list of such days is defined by Ordinance, but in addition the ViceChancellor may prescribe other days as scarlet days if they are occasions, for instance, of national rejoicing or celebration, or of other special importance to the University.

Senate – Until 1926, the governing body of the University; it consists of all those holding the degree of Master of Arts or any other higher degree. It elects the Chancellor and the High Steward. Membership confers senior status and certain privileges such as borrowing books from the University Library.

Term – The academic year is divided into three Terms (Michaelmas: October to early December; Lent: January to early March; and Easter: April to mid-June).

Tripos – A University examination, passing which qualifies a candidate partly or wholly for admission to an Honours Degree. More