07 Sep 2026
Cambridge students aged 16+ are being invited to join the new council, giving them the opportunity to develop future-ready skills, while influencing research and thinking at Cambridge.
The Cambridge Student Advisory Council will be an inclusive community that brings together learners from Cambridge schools around the world. As members of this community, students will be able to share their perspectives through online research activities and interactive sessions, including focus groups, panels and expert-led Q&As, on topics that will influence research, thinking and development at Cambridge. Along the way, students can develop future-ready skills, gain insight from experts, build global connections and access opportunities that support their personal and academic growth.
'Cambridge students bring a wealth of perspectives shaped by their different experiences, cultures and ambitions,' says Charlotte Colucci, Head of Community & Advocacy at Cambridge. 'We're looking for students who want to share those perspectives and help us better understand what matters to learners around the world. The council is open to a diverse range of voices and experiences because the best ideas come from listening to different viewpoints. For the students, it’s an opportunity to build confidence, develop leadership skills and connect with peers from other countries and school communities.'
Last year Cambridge spoke to 4000 young people across the globe for the major report Navigating the future: Preparing learners to thrive in a changing world. This study gives a unique view of how students experience education today and what they think is important for a future being changed by technological advances, climate pressures, and shifting global dynamics.
Students have their say
In a preliminary focus group ahead of the Council’s launch, a group of Cambridge AS and A Level students discussed what they would like to see from Cambridge on climate change education, insight and perspectives from which were used in the recent guide for teachers on having climate change discussions in the classroom. Here are some of their comments:
- Climate education should be practical, local and solution focused to empower students and not overwhelm them.
- One of the important things that Cambridge could do is inculcate the value of caring for the environment from a very early age.
- We need more institutional support on sustainable career paths and hands-on climate action.
- They could enable students to think of new unique ways they want to help the environment.
- I think we should involve the community: our parents, our family, have everyone involved.
- Introduce climate change early across all subjects as a mandatory part of education.
- Put more initiative into students doing their own projects on climate change.
Find out more
The Council is open to students aged 16+ who are studying at a registered Cambridge International School. Students can take part in one activity or contribute multiple times over the year depending on their interests and availability. Some activities might only take a few minutes whereas others might last an hour.
Find out more and sign up to the Cambridge Student Advisory Council.