…or more of a difference over the next stage of your life. Perhaps you’re looking for a pivot from a life focused on commercial success towards a life of greater significance.
Or maybe you have a potentially life changing idea to forge a better future for society and yourself, and you value structure and partnership to make it real.
We’ll help you identify significant issues facing society, possible solutions, and pathways to making a real difference. If selected, you will have the chance to:
REFLECT DEEPLY ON YOUR PERSONAL PURPOSE
BUILD A PERSONALISED LEARNING PATHWAY, DRAWING ON THE UNIVERSITY’S RESOURCES
ENGAGE WITH GLOBAL EXPERTS ACROSS DISCIPLINES
BUILD A DIVERSE AND SUPPORTIVE NETWORK OF PEERS
DEVELOP ACTIONABLE IDEAS TO SHAPE A BETTER FUTURE
As a Better Futures Programme participant you will be part of a select cohort. Your journey will be unique, based around your specific interests, and arena of exploration. Alongside a core programme, we will help you construct a truly personalised programme of study with guidance from your academic departmental host and the Better Futures team. You will be able to draw from:
*With lecturer permission
TAUGHT COURSES*, OPEN LECTURES/SEMINARS
DEPARTMENTS, INSTITUTES, RESEARCH CENTRES, NETWORKSBUILD A PERSONALISED LEARNING PATHWAY, DRAWING ON THE UNIVERSITY’S RESOURCES
PAST AND ONGOING RESEARCH PROGRAMMES
ACADEMIC EXPERTS AND RESEARCHERS TO SERVE AS ADVISERS AND RESOURCES
PARTNERSHIP OF EXTERNAL EXPERT PRACTITIONERS IN THE BETTER FUTURES MENTOR NETWORK
THE WIDER CAMBRIDGE ECOSYSTEM AND NETWORK OF ALUMNI
TERMLY SYMPOSIA/DINNERS THAT BRING TOGETHER THOUGHT LEADERS AND PROMINENT ACTORS IN DISCUSSION AROUND KEY ISSUES BY PROGRAMME THEME
You’re invited to connect the foundational awareness of your world view and experiences to cutting-edge knowledge, and using that combination to craft paths for change that are meaningful, impactful and sustainable.
These strands weave together across a weekly core programme of seminars, your personalised learning and research, and the broader intellectual and cultural communities of Cambridge.
Re-assess your skills, capabilities, motivation, and personal health, and refine how you relate to society and the world around you.
Explore major societal issues and opportunities with Cambridge academics and develop a personalised learning plan.
Craft future impact pathways to follow in the coming years.
You may already have achieved great things in society or in your career and have a desire to contribute to a better world. You might simply have delivered as much as you want in your career and are asking yourself what’s next.
Whatever your motivation, you must demonstrate achievement and leadership in your field and have a proven track record of impact and expertise. You will show an aptitude for system transformation and self-development, and you’ll be passionate about enhancing your skills and pivoting to a new focus on social impact.
PARTICIPANTS WILL COME FROM FROM A DIVERSE RANGE OF SECTORS SUCH AS:
Your programme will be devised by our academic team, including leaders of the Cambridge Better Futures Programme. No two years will be the same because we see every cohort as unique. You will have support and guidance at department and college level.
ICE represents a pinnacle of accessible, high-quality lifelong learning. It has a history dating back to 1873 and offers a wide range of opportunities designed to transform lives and careers.
Academic Director, Homerton Changemakers
Executive Director at Centre for Science and Policy, University of Cambridge
Director of the Centre for India & Global Business, Cambridge Judge Business School
Member, BBC Trust and Co-Founder, Somethin' Else
Former Senior Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education), University of Cambridge
Founder, Operation Black Vote
Former Head of the School of Arts and Humanities, University of Cambridge
For more details on tuition, application process and learning outcomes, please visit the course page here.
Join the founding cohort of the Cambridge Better Futures Programme, commencing September 2025. Immerse yourself within Cambridge’s world-leading innovation and research ecosystem, where you will sharpen your path to purpose and impact for the next stage of your life.
@Centre for Better Futures 2024
Interested in the Better Futures Programme and eager to learn more?
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We’re always happy to connect with potential applicants and explore how the programme could be a fit for you.
Want to learn more about the Cambridge Better Futures Programme? Fill out the form below to get your brochure.