For David, studying at the University of Cambridge’s Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) became far more than a pastime; it became a rediscovery of curiosity, a rekindling of intellectual joy, and the quiet beginning of an unexpected academic journey. Living in St Albans and arriving at Madingley Hall for a weekend course back in 2009, he wasn’t seeking transformation, just answers to a few nagging historical questions. But what he found was something entirely different.
“School history was all dates and causes,” he said. “At Madingley, it became human, people under pressure, wrestling with impossible dilemmas.” That first course lit a spark. Fourteen weekend courses later, spanning literature and history, the feeling hasn’t faded. The tutors, "genius worn lightly", the magnificent surroundings, and even the legendary breakfast sausages became part of a rhythm he cherished. Sharing the experience with family made it even richer.
Retirement in 2013 opened a new door: a Creative Writing Certificate. “I didn’t know I had that in me,” he said. But PACE unearthed it, ultimately propelling him to a Dramatic Writing MA at Central Saint Martins. Realising he needed deeper reading to strengthen his craft, he returned to PACE once more, this time for online Certificates and Diplomas, forming friendships stretching from Canberra to Venice to Nashville.
Through every course, every tutor, every walk through the grounds, David found not just knowledge but a confidence that carried him all the way to Master’s-level study in Cambridge and beyond. And still, he returns to Madingley. “It’s a privilege,” he said. “It always will be.”
Ignite your joy for learning on one of our weekend courses. Dive into a subject you love and see where it takes you.