From Cambridge to You: flexible online courses for our global alumni community

For alumni in North America, far from the lecture halls of Collegiate Cambridge, having access to online courses, not to mention the benefit of a tuition discount, is a way to continue engaging with the intellectual rigor of your academic home and to grow new connections with other long-distance learners from around the world.

Online study opportunities are widespread. A prospective student needs only to have an internet connection, a computer, and a desire to discover, and a universe of learning is wide open. The Covid-19 pandemic became a springboard for many institutions and students to take teaching and learning online. However, the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Continuing Education, recently renamed University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education (PACE), was ahead of the curve. It became the first department at the University to offer award-bearing online courses as early as 2012, but Cambridge’s commitment to accessible learning goes back much further. The Institute itself was founded in 1923, and remarkably, the University began delivering remote education as far back as 1873.

“A group of Cambridge academics decided there were individuals living out in towns and villages who would benefit from a Cambridge education. It was called extramural studies. They would go into these communities and take their teaching with them. And they realized that there was a group of individuals, particularly, there were groups of women that did not have access to education at a university level that really benefited from these interactions,” said Sarah Austin, Head of Development and Alumni Relations, PACE.

Today the office offers long and short courses, in-person and online.

“There are a vast range of different courses available online, and they cover topics such as creative writing, psychology, coaching, and astronomy. All of the undergraduate-level certificates and diplomas offered by Professional and Continuing Education are also delivered online and part-time, making them accessible to individuals around the world,” said Austin. “Last year, our students had an age range of between 18 to 94, so you’re learning with, building friendships with, and networking with diverse cohorts, in terms of demographics, where they're from, and also age and experience,” she explained.

This July, when the University of Cambridge launched the new name and identity for its continuing education offering: the University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education (PACE), it was more than a name change. The rebrand signals a renewed commitment to expanding access to lifelong learning and recognized professional development. PACE reflects the University’s evolving role in supporting learners around the world to upskill, reskill, and grow—on their terms.

“More learners are turning to us for professional development, and we want our identity to reflect that shift,” said Austin. “PACE is about building a lifelong learning community—one that offers open access to high-quality Cambridge education. Our courses are self-paced but fully supported, with weekly online discussions and time with your lecturer, so students experience genuine connection and collaborative learning, wherever they are.”

Find out more here.