Research On The Reform Of University Of Cambridge In 19^th Century

With the earliest record of the university in 1209, Cambridge had experienced a history of 600 years at the end of eighteenth century. At that time, the classical education took the domination. Cambridge expected students who were from the royal family to take the careers in the Church or in the Civil Service. Classics still took the leading part in studies in Cambridge. Colleges had the overhigh-selfgovernment right. The university was closed to non-Anglicans and women students. After the entering to nineteenth century, under the influence of social political movements, economy and technology, there was a continued call for change and reform in the University from classical education to scientific education. At the latter nineteenth century the basic changes happened in the aspects of educational aim, management system, teaching system, faculty and scientific research in Cambridge. The change from classical education to scientific education had nearly finished and Cambridge stepped into a new scientific era.The course of change from classical education to scientific education can be divided into three periods. The first period began with the first publication of Edinburgh Review in 1802, which published critical articles on ancient universities and ended with the appointment of Royal Commission of 1850. The issues of educational aim, teaching content and methods of ancient universities were sharply discussed. The discussions can always be found in newspapers. The introduction and examination of new studies advanced very rapidly after the Royal Commission of 1850 had reported. The natural sciences and moral sciences (now philosophical) Triposes were approved as early as 1851.Second period began with the appointment of Royal Commission of 1850 and ended with the Cambridge University Act of 1877. During this period the scientific education got greatly strengthened. Britain government took the measuers such as investigation and legislation to govern the reform in ancient universities. At the same time, William Cavendish, seventh Duke of Devonshire, endows the University's new Cavendish Laboratory for the study of experimental physics, which indicates the new era of teaching and research on Experimental physics.The rest part of the nineteenth century was the third period.This period had seen an accelerated rate of development in almost every direction. These changes began during a time when the central administration of the University was strengthened and extended by a series of small reforms which were to be fundamental to future changes. The managing function and financial situation of Cambridge got promoted University departments and research institutes were established as new areas of study developed, and with them new teaching courses were offered. Such developments as these showed an increasing awareness of the wider responsibilities of the University, denoting the breakthrough from classical education.Studying the changing course of Cambridge University from classical education to scientific education and thus learning from the meaningful historical Experiences, may enrich the study on Cambridge University. We could draw useful lessons from the study on British higher education history and thus contribute to the building of China's first- class universities in the world.