TheUniversityofCambridgeisoneoftheoldestuniversitiesintheworld,andoneofthelargestintheUnitedKingdom.Ithasaworld-widereputationforoutstandingacademicachievementandthehighqualityofresearchundertakeninawiderangeofscienceandartssubjects.TheUniversitypioneersworkintheunderstandingofdisease,thecreationofnewmaterials,advancesintelecommunicationsandresearchintotheoriginsoftheuniverse.Ittrainsdoctors,vets,architects,engineersandteachers.AtalllevelsabouthalfofthestudentsatCambridgestudyartsandhumanitiessubjects,manyofwhomhavegoneontobecomeprominentfiguresinthearts,printandbroadcastmedia.TheUniversity'sachievementsinthesciencescanbemeasuredbythesixtyormoreNobelPrizesawardedtoitsmembersovertheyears.

　　TheUniversityisaself-governingbody:thelegislativeauthorityistheRegentHouse,whichconsistsofthethreethousandorsomembersoftheteachingandadministrativestaffoftheUniversityandCollegeswhohavetheMA(orMAstatus)orahigherdegree.TheprincipaladministrativebodyoftheUniversityistheCouncil,whichconsistsmainlyofmembersoftheacademicstaffelectedbytheRegentHouse.TheGeneralBoardoftheFacultiesco-ordinatestheeducationalpolicyoftheUniversityandtheFinanceCommitteeoftheCouncilsupervisesitsfinancialaffairs.

　　AsCambridgeapproachesitseighthundredthanniversaryin2009,itislookingtothefuture.ThemodernUniversityisaninternationalcentreofteachingandresearchinavastrangeofsubjects:abouthalfofthestudentsstudyscienceortechnology.MembersoftheUniversityhavewonoversixtyNobelPrizes.

　　Itcontinuestochangeinresponsetothechallengesitfaces.TheVice-Chancellor,forinstance,isnolongeraHeadofCollege,butisafull-timeadministrativeappointment.ADevelopmentOfficeandassociatedcharitablefoundationissuccessfullyseekingfundsaroundtheworldfornewventures.The1990shaveseenamajorexpansionofUniversityaccommodationforteachingandresearch.Therearemanymajornewbuildingseitherunderwayoralreadycompleted,includingtheLawFacultybuildingandtheJudgeInstituteofManagementStudies,inMarch1996openedbyHMTheQueen.