History and Founding of the University - University of Cambridge founded in 1209 - Scholars left University of Oxford for Cambridge after a dispute with local townspeople - Recognised with a royal charter in 1231 - Cambridge already had a scholarly reputation before the founding of the university - Oxford scholars began leaving Oxford for Cambridge due to conflicts with town authorities - Chancellor of the university appointed in 1225 - Rents in Cambridge set according to the custom of the university - Granted the right not to be drawn out for three years - Colleges were initially endowed fellowships of scholars - Hostels gradually absorbed by the colleges over the centuries - Peterhouse, the first college, founded in 1284 - Multiple additional colleges founded during the 14th and 15th centuries - Most recent college, Robinson, built in the late 1970s

Mathematics and Scientific Achievements - University of Cambridge established as a global leader in the study of mathematics - Mathematical Tripos examination initially compulsory for all undergraduates - Lucasian Professor of Mathematics position at Cambridge - Notable mathematicians and physicists associated with Cambridge, such as Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking - Cambridge played a significant role in the development of mathematical physics

Notable Alumni and Contributions - Cambridge alumni have won 121 Nobel Prizes - Notable alumni include Francis Bacon, Lord Byron, Charles Darwin, John Maynard Keynes, and Alan Turing - Several historically iconic and transformational individuals in their respective fields - 194 Olympic medal-winning athletes - Cambridge alumni have made significant contributions to various fields, including literature, science, and politics

Women's Education and Gender Diversity - The University of Cambridge was initially open only to male students for several centuries - Girton College and Newnham College were established in the late 19th century as the first colleges for women - Female students were allowed to take exams and receive diplomas from the late 19th century, but were excluded from the university's governance structure until 1948 - Undergraduate colleges gradually started admitting women between 1972 and 1988 - As of 2019-2020, the university's male to female enrollment was nearly balanced, with 53% male and 47% female students

Economic Growth and Modern Developments - The Cambridge Phenomenon refers to the economic growth associated with the university's high tech and biotech industry - 1,500 new companies and 40,000 new jobs were added between 1960 and 2010 - Silicon Fen, a business cluster launched by the university, played a significant role in this growth - The university has been a source of employment and expanded wealth in Cambridge and the region - High tech and biotech start-ups have flourished due to the university's influence