Ever wondered who shapes education for millions globally? That’s Cambridge University Press & Assessment. It stands here in Cambridge England a non-school institution.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment wasn’t always one entity. It was formed in August 2021. Queen Elizabeth II approved the merge. It united Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment. Both were already esteemed parts of the University of Cambridge.
The roots of this union go way back. Cambridge University Press first printed exam papers for Cambridge Assessment in 1858. The merger made perfect sense.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is big. It has over 50 offices overseas. Its reach extends to 100 million learners around the world. Most of its revenue comes from outside the United Kingdom.
What does Cambridge University Press & Assessment actually do? It delivers the Cambridge Dictionary. The Cambridge Dictionary is the number one dictionary website in the world. It provides Cambridge Core. They offer IGCSEs and Cambridge Technicals. Linguaskill and academic journals are also part of their portfolio. They publish numerous academic journals and books.
In 2023 and 2024, there were 125 million downloads of scholarly research. These downloads included book chapters and research papers. Sixty-three percent of their new research journal articles are now published as open access. Remarkable right?
Did you know that books and journal articles from almost 200 Nobel Laureates are published here? Cambridge University Press & Assessment even published seven of the 2024 Nobel laureates. Its exam boards issued 11 million grades in 2023 and 2024. These boards include OCR and Cambridge International Education.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment cares about the planet. It advocates for effective climate education. They believe this education should be available to students at every age and stage.
As part of the University of Cambridge, it operates as a non-profit organization. Peter Phillips leads Cambridge University Press & Assessment. He is the chief executive officer. He reports to the Vice-Chancellor of the university.
The organization is governed by the Press and Assessment Syndicate. This Syndicate includes 18 senior members of the University of Cambridge. They oversee the group’s activities through the Press and Assessment Board and its committees.
Cambridge University Press has a long history. King Henry VIII granted it letters patent in 1534. It is the oldest university press in the world. Cambridge University Press published over 50000 titles by authors from over 100 countries.
Cambridge University Press pioneered stereotype printing in the early 1800s. This allowed successive printings from one setting.
In 1949, Cambridge University Press opened its first international branch in New York. In 1989, it acquired Eyre & Spottiswoode. This acquisition gave the press the title of The Queen’s Printer.
In 1999, Cambridge Dictionaries Online was launched.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment continues to evolve. It adapts to meet the changing needs of learners and researchers worldwide. Its commitment to education and research remains steadfast.