Weareoneoftheworld'soldestuniversitiesandleadingacademiccentres,andaself-governedcommunityofscholars.Cambridgecomprises31Collegesandover150departments,faculties,schoolsandotherinstitutions.

　　TheUniversityofCambridgeisrichinhistory-itsfamousCollegesandUniversitybuildingsattractvisitorsfromallovertheworld.ButtheUniversity'smuseumsandcollectionsalsoholdmanytreasureswhichgiveanexcitinginsightintosomeofthescholarlyactivities,bothpastandpresent,oftheUniversity'sacademicsandstudents.

　　TheUniversityofCambridgeisoneoftheworld'soldestuniversitiesandleadingacademiccentres,andaself-governedcommunityofscholars.Itsreputationforoutstandingacademicachievementisknownworld-wideandreflectstheintellectualachievementofitsstudents,aswellastheworld-classoriginalresearchcarriedoutbythestaffoftheUniversityandtheColleges.

　　ManyoftheUniversity'scustomsandunusualterminologycanbetracedtorootsintheearlyyearsoftheUniversity'slonghistory,andthisbookletlookstothepasttofindtheoriginsofmuchthatisdistinctiveintheUniversityoftoday.