800 hundred years of contributions to humankind

While I'm working at the world's oldest existing printer and publisher, I often reflect on the many centuries of labour and vision that have gone into building, sustaining and growing it, and the valuable inheritance that it represents to humankind.

These thoughts are particularly prominent in my mind this year, as 2009 has been a year of many remarkable anniversaries for both Cambridge University Press and it's parent, Cambridge University.

2009 anniversaries include:

• 425 years of continuous publishing and printing by Cambridge University Press
• the 475th anniversary of King Henry VIII’s grant of ‘Letters Patent’ allowing us to print ‘all manner of books’
• the 800th anniversary of the University of Cambridge
• The 20th anniversary of the Brazilian branch, situated in Sao Paulo
• The 40th anniversary of the Australian branch, situated in Melbourne
• The 60th anniversary of the American branch, situated in New York

The African branch, established in 1995, added its own milestone to this year of notable events - 25.1% of its shares were granted to CIDA Empowerment Fund, to fund CIDA University. CIDA provides some of South Africa's poorest black students with access to a world-class university education.

The enduring light that both the Press and Cambridge University have shone on the world, is probably no better illustrated than in the below image of the Empire State Building in New York, currently illuminated in Cambridge blue in honour of that day in 1209 - 800 hundred years ago - when scholars first gathered in Cambridge to found the university.