Our Impact

When Gresham College was set up in 1597, it was the first institute of higher learning in London, and the Universities in Oxford and Cambridge still taught all their students in Latin. Not only was Gresham College accessible to people with no or minimal knowledge of Latin - and therefore to a much wider range of backgrounds - it also focused on subjects that many universities did not teach then, like astronomy and geometry - disciplines which had more explicit practical applications for navigation and trade.

One of the most far-reaching impacts it had was founding the Royal Society, which was set up by a group of 12 men after one of Sir Christopher Wren’s lectures in 1660. The Royal Society is known as probably the most prestigious scientific societies in the world.

Our eminent lecturers include luminaries like Sir Christopher Wren, Robert Hooke, composer Iannis Xenakis, mathematicians John Barrow and Roger Penrose, astronomers Lord Martin Rees, Heather Couper, Chris Whitty and Carolin Crawford. Find out more about our history. 

Across its long history, Gresham College has continuously adapted its lecture programme while remaining true to its founding mission of free public education, fostering curiosity, debate, and the spread of expert knowledge long before online learning made such access commonplace.

Gresham College 2024–25

During the 2024-25 academic year, Gresham College continued to expand its reach, deepen public engagement, and strengthen its position as a leading provider of free public education.

We welcomed 10,662 in-person audience members to our lectures, representing a 15.3% increase on the previous year and reflecting increased awareness of our live intellectual events. Alongside this, our digital presence grew significantly, enabling us to reach audiences world wide.