Christ’s College is a self-governing academic community; founded in 1505, we are a charity which promotes education and research. We aim to attract the best students, Fellows, and staff, and to give them a secure and supportive environment in which to thrive. Each point below is a permanent objective; underneath, where applicable, are specific aims for the next five years.
Christ’s selects students solely based on their outstanding academic achievement and potential.
• Because we believe that talent is abundant in all sections of the population, we will work to attract 50% more undergraduate applications from underrepresented groups and regions in the United Kingdom.
Christ's is an international community.
• Every year, we will support students affected by war and humanitarian crisis.
Christ’s is small enough for everyone to know each other and large enough for everyone to find kindred spirits; we take about 120 undergraduates and 110 postgraduates each year. We are resolved to remain the size we are.
Striving for academic excellence is a given, but we recognise the paramount importance of complementing it with cultural, social, sporting, and civic pursuits. Christ’s supports its active Junior and Middle Combination Rooms and numerous societies; their enthusiasm ranges from ‘have a go’ to ‘win a Blue’.
Christ’s has an engaged Fellowship. All Fellows sit on Governing Body and at least one College committee. All of them, no matter who they are, have an equal say in College governance. We support early career academics by appointing (on average) four new research Fellows every year.
• We aim to elect as many female as male Fellows. All recommendations for election are made on merit.
The work of Christ's staff underpins and enhances everything that happens in College.
• We will expand learning and development of our staff, including apprenticeships.
Christ’s offers all Tripos subjects, except for veterinary medicine. Undergraduate entry is balanced evenly between humanities/social sciences and STEM subjects.
Christ’s seeks to accommodate all its students; an objective already achieved for undergraduates but for only half of our postgraduates.
• We will acquire enough property to house all postgraduates who want accommodation.
Christ’s is a beautiful and functional College; we aim to make beautiful and functional those parts of College which are not.
• We will replace the Library, and renovate Upper Hall, Bath Court, and the Porters’ Lodge.
Christ’s is a green College; we are on track to achieve carbon neutrality before the University’s target of 2048. All decisions are compatible with our long-term sustainability targets; we seize opportunities as they arise.
• We will de-gasify the kitchens, finish replacing Collyweston tiles on First Court roofs, install heat pumps for First Court, solar panels on Memorial and Blyth buildings, and refurbish seven hostels to improve insulation; and we will install smart radiator valves in all bedrooms on our main site.
Commercial activity at Christ’s supports the College’s academic mission.
• We will refocus that activity on conferences and summer schools, and reduce our reliance on shorter stay bed and breakfast.
Allocation of resources will flow from the strategy.
Our aim is to be recognised as an institution which balances the determined pursuit of excellence with a sense of care and responsibility for our society, our environment, and for the Fellows, students, staff, and alumni who constitute our College.