The University of Cambridge formed the ‘Local Examinations Syndicate’ over 160 years ago. Its aim was to raise standards in education by administering exams for people who were not members of the University and inspecting schools.
For the first time in 1858, 370 school candidates in 7 English cities sat exams set by the University of Cambridge. The Syndicate began examining internationally in 1864, and this aspect of its work grew quickly.
In 1998 the Syndicate created a new structure, leading to the establishment of three exam boards:
- Cambridge Assessment International Education – the world’s largest provider of international education programmes and qualifications for 5 to 19 year olds.
- Cambridge Assessment English – provider of the world’s leading range of certificates for learners of English.
- OCR – a leading UK exam board, dedicated to recognising achievement in learners of all ages.
The Syndicate adopted the brand name ‘Cambridge Assessment’ in 2005.
In August 2021, Cambridge Assessment came together with Cambridge University Press to form a single organisation: Cambridge University Press & Assessment. The new organisation provides world-leading academic research, learning and assessment globally, backed by the first-class teaching and research departments of the University of Cambridge. It is a not-for-profit organisation.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment established three new groups to integrate its learning and assessment services for English language, UK and International Education. The International Education group, formed in August 2022, brought together Cambridge Assessment International Education, Cambridge University Press Education and the Cambridge Partnership for Education. We are known as ‘Cambridge’ and the name of our awarding body is Cambridge International Education.
In 2022-23, Cambridge University Press & Assessment served over 100 million learners around the world.
