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Vice-Chancellor’s foreword
Professor Deborah Prentice
Among the things that make Cambridge different from other universities, there is one that stands out. Our mission – to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence – is uniquely enhanced by the work of Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
The Press & Assessment’s extraordinary reach and expertise – now extending to 100 million learners worldwide – underpin its importance to our University. But its impact extends beyond the sphere of higher education. For many people around the globe, Cambridge is known for opening doors to English language learners through IELTS or Linguaskill, for sparking new interests among IGCSE students, and for offering scholars and general readers new insights through Cambridge University Press publications.
In my first months as Vice-Chancellor, I have enjoyed getting to know Cambridge University Press & Assessment better. I have always admired the scholarly works, the widely recognised qualifications and the learning materials that it delivers, as well as its commitment to international education and knowledge-sharing. I have published my own research in behavioural science with Cambridge, and continue to appreciate the work it does to support its authors, as well as to make their research accessible for all.
The work of the Press & Assessment is collaborative by definition. Our growing collaborations include Cambridge Advance Online’s expanding range of on-demand courses – including courses on data science for business intelligence, and on climate change for decision makers.
The University Library has been a critical early supporter of the Cambridge Open Equity Initiative, as we all work to make open access publishing realise its potential and enable scholars around the world to gain insights from peers in low- and middle-income countries.
Working together, University academics and their Press & Assessment peers are conducting language science research with the Cambridge Institute for Automated Language Teaching and Assessment. Our Faculty of Education is advancing education reform more effectively. We are reevaluating how mathematics can be taught. Cambridge Zero’s expertise can reach into schools and education ministries in new ways.
I must congratulate Stephen Toope, my predecessor as Vice-Chancellor, on publishing A Rule of Law for Our New Age of Anxiety with Cambridge. I must also thank Dr Anthony Freeling, who served as Acting Vice-Chancellor, for his exceptional insights into the Press & Assessment, and for his own critical role in enabling the successful integration that we have seen over the last two years.
The Press & Assessment makes a significant financial contribution to our University, for which I am profoundly grateful. We reinvest every penny into our shared mission. That crucial support has allowed the University to act more ambitiously – contributing to the new Cavendish Laboratory in West Cambridge, the new Heart and Lung Research Institute on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, the new Whittle Laboratory, Cambridge Zero, and the Student Services Centre.
In the past year, Cambridge University Press & Assessment welcomed new external members: Sally Boyle joined the Press & Assessment Board (PAB) and the Nominations and Remuneration Committees; Lucy Walker joined the Audit & Risk Committee; and the Head of the Faculty of Education, Professor Hilary Cremin, joined the Teaching & Learning Committee. Professor Richard Prager stood down as a Syndic, PAB member, and chair of the Online Education Committee, to be replaced in the latter capacity, on an acting basis, by Professor Chris Young. Jessica Rusu, already serving on the Audit & Risk Committee, has joined the Technology Committee. I am grateful to all Syndics and other members for their service. And I am especially grateful to Peter Phillips, who with the Press & Assessment team, has continued to deliver growth in the face of challenging market conditions.
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Professor Deborah Prentice
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
© Cambridge University Press & Assessment, 2023