Help us to make Cambridge education accessible to all
University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) is the oldest continuing education university department in the country. Our purpose is to provide accessible, flexible and meaningful education to adults throughout their lives, whether they’re studying for personal, social, societal or professional reasons.
Accessible and affordable forms of higher education have never been needed more as learners seek to engage with safe ways to study in order to renew skills to respond to emerging economic challenges or learn as part of a wider approach to personal enrichment and mental wellbeing.
We recognise that the costs of studying at university can be challenging and we are continually striving to remove or reduce this potential barrier to learning with us. If you would like to support our aim to prioritise and enable learning throughout life and to promote the widest possible access for learners to the University, you can do so by making a donation.
Your donation will help to cover the cost of study for a student who couldn’t otherwise afford to do so, recruit and develop academic staff, and improve our facilities and grounds for students at Madingley Hall.
PACE alumnus Matthew spoke to us about his recent donation: “I’m committed to lifelong learning, and I believe that this is best done within a framework where one can question their knowledge and continue to grow. PACE opens up possibilities for meeting such ambitions, and it is my wish to leave a legacy so that these opportunities can be afforded to others who, like me, are advocates for lifelong learning.”
All gifts, large or small, are very gratefully received. Our funds are outlined below. If you would like to discuss a donation, please contact us.
Donating opportunities
Your contribution will make it possible for us to promote opportunities to study at PACE to a broad range of adult learners and ensure that tuition fees are no longer a barrier to study. This will enable us to support people from a variety of backgrounds, those who have never experienced higher education before and those who may have experienced hardship, financial or otherwise.
In 2023, celebrated our 150th anniversary. Your contribution will support our programme of public engagement events, special educational programmes and celebratory activities.
Make a donation: support students from around the world.
In 2023 the University of Cambridge International Summer Programmes celebrated a big anniversary. At over 100, we are one of the oldest Summer Programmes in the world. Our courses last between just one and four weeks, but can have a lasting impact on anyone who attends.
Our Summer Programme provides an opportunity for intensive study of new or favourite subjects as part of a truly international group. Classroom diversity, with mixed-age, mixed-nationality and mixed-ability groups all add to an enriching experience.
Whilst we firmly believe that the International Summer Programme offers good value for money, we appreciate that not everyone can afford to come. In 2024 - with support from the University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education (PACE)'s James Stuart Fund and from external donations - we assisted students from Ukraine, Peru, Brazil and Palestine, offering fully-funded stays of between two and four weeks. But there are many more people around the world who would benefit from bursary help to support their application.
We’ve evidence of what receiving a full- or part-funded place has meant to students in the past. Recipients of bursaries in previous years have found it easier to go on to further study, had better options for career moves, and have joined with many regular fee-paying students in declaring that the Summer Programmes have been truly life-changing.
100 Patrons+ Campaign
To celebrate our centenary, in 2023 we launched a long-term '100 Patrons+' campaign and we are seeking 100+ people to help us to fund full tuition and accommodation places for students on the International Summer Programme. The aim will be to match funds raised with donations from the James Stuart Fund. Each one-week stay – tuition and accommodation – is around £1,750, a two-week stay costs around £3,450. Whilst we would hope for many donations in excess of £1,000, we would set the minimum gift level in the ‘Centenary Patron’ category’ at £500. We’re also aware that we may receive many lower-value donations: hence the reference to 100 Patrons+.
Our 100 Patrons+ Campaign strives to create an endowment of at least £50,000, with funds going to support places for current and future years. The Centenary Patrons will be added to a new donors board at our Headquarters, with named lists posted each year in the International Summer Programme office.
For those in the UK in the Summertime, there will be an annual Patrons’ Reception (with the opportunity to meet Bursary Recipients), and Patrons would receive updates on the Campaign and Bursary Recipients each year.
We hope you may be able to join the list of Patrons. But donations of all amounts are welcome.
Your contribution will enable the development of facilities, space and resources for students, providing them with an environment conducive to learning.
We are continually committed to repairing, restoring, improving and developing our gardens. Your donation will help us to ensure that the the historic fabric, plants and garden features are preserved and the site enhanced, so that Madingley continues to be an inspirational home providing high quality surroundings for student and visitor experience.