Ron Waller

Gresham College - an outstanding source of free, lifelong learning

I first found out about Gresham College a year ago from my daughter, a double Masters who shares my passion for academic lectures. She recommended the College to me, knowing I would instantly become a fan! 

I watch Gresham College lectures mainly online, although I do sometimes attend in person. Living in Winchester, I must be careful planning my travels to London, so I can take advantage both of Gresham College lectures and other academic events happening in the city. In this respect, the online booking of tickets for Gresham College lectures is very useful! 

Personally, what stands out to me about the College’s lectures is the great variety of subjects, the top-rate academic content, and the broadcast quality, which seamlessly blends camera footage of the speaker with their slides.  

One of my favourite speakers is the Gresham Professor of Music, Milton Mermikides. His lecture, ‘The Divine Trickery of J. S. Bach’ is outstanding on every level. Another favourite is the Gresham Professor of Astronomy, Chris Lintott, who easily makes a complex subject understandable through his lectures – you can tell he thoroughly enjoys his work! 

All in all, Gresham College is an outstanding source of free, lifelong learning. The lecturers are not only eminent in their fields but have flair and enthusiasm to match. They present a wide range of subjects in a thoughtful, non-patronising way – they’re not afraid to make intellectual demands of their audience, challenging them to broaden their minds. Sir Thomas Gresham’s generous, forward-looking and far-reaching vision in 1597 lives on in very capable hands!

If this story resonates with you or you have benefited from Gresham College lectures in other ways, please support our mission to open up education and to encourage a love of learning.

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