Cambridge University Press & Assessment: Company Profile

Background

Cambridge University Press & Assessment is a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge, established on 1 August 2021 through the merger of Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment. Headquartered in Cambridge, England, the organization operates globally, serving over 100 million learners across more than 160 countries. Its mission is to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence. The organization is a non-profit entity, with its financial success reinvested to advance the Cambridge mission.

Key Strategic Focus

The organization's strategic focus encompasses several core objectives:

Academic Publishing: Publishing research books and journals across disciplines such as science, technology, medicine, humanities, and social sciences.

English Language Teaching: Providing English language teaching courses and resources for learners of all ages worldwide.

International Education: Offering international education programs and qualifications for 3- to 19-year-olds, collaborating with schools globally to build education systems that shape knowledge, understanding, and skills.

UK Education: Through Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR), providing a wide range of general and vocational qualifications to help students achieve their full potential.

The organization emphasizes innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to addressing global challenges, including climate change, through its products and services.

Financials and Funding

In the fiscal year 2023–2024, Cambridge University Press & Assessment reported revenues exceeding £1 billion and an operating profit above £200 million. The organization is a non-profit entity, with its financial success reinvested to advance the Cambridge mission.

Pipeline Development

As a non-profit educational organization, Cambridge University Press & Assessment does not operate a traditional product pipeline. Instead, it focuses on the continuous development and enhancement of its educational programs, qualifications, and resources to meet the evolving needs of learners and educators worldwide.

Technological Platform and Innovation

Cambridge University Press & Assessment leverages several technological platforms and innovations:

Cambridge Core: A unified platform providing access to a vast collection of academic content, including over 1.6 million journal articles and 46,000 ebooks.

Cambridge Open Engage: A platform offering early research content to facilitate open access publishing.

Cambridge Prisms: A series of open access journals covering various disciplines, including Coastal Futures, Precision Medicine, Global Mental Health, Extinction, Plastics, Water, and Drylands.

Cambridge Elements: A publishing program combining the best features of books and journals, recently celebrating its 1,000th publishing milestone.

These platforms and initiatives reflect the organization's commitment to innovation and open access in education and research.

Leadership Team

The leadership team of Cambridge University Press & Assessment includes:

Peter Phillips: Chief Executive Officer. Peter Phillips has been the CEO since the formation of the organization in August 2021. He is also a Fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge, a Trustee of the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust, and a Council Member and former President of The Publishers Association.

Francesca Woodward: Global Managing Director, English. Francesca Woodward leads the English language teaching and assessment division, overseeing the development and delivery of English language qualifications and resources worldwide.

Market Insights and Dynamics

The global educational publishing and assessment market is characterized by a diverse range of players offering various products and services, including academic publishing, language teaching resources, and educational assessments. The market is experiencing growth driven by increasing demand for quality education, digital learning solutions, and international qualifications.

Competitor Analysis

Key competitors of Cambridge University Press & Assessment include:

Elsevier: A global information analytics business specializing in scientific, technical, and medical content.

Macmillan Publishers: A global publishing company offering a wide range of educational materials and services.

Springer Nature: A research, educational, and professional publisher.

Cengage Group: An education technology company providing digital learning solutions.

SAGE Publishing: An academic publisher of books, journals, and library products and services.

McGraw-Hill Education: An education company developing digital learning platforms.

Hachette Livre: The world's third-largest book publisher.

Oxford University Press: A department of the University of Oxford, publishing a wide range of educational materials.

These competitors offer overlapping products and services, contributing to a dynamic and competitive market landscape.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

Cambridge University Press & Assessment has engaged in several strategic collaborations and partnerships to enhance its offerings:

Partnership with Edmodo (2015): Formed a strategic content and technology partnership to bring educational content and technology to schools in the United Kingdom.

Acquisition of CogBooks (2021): Acquired CogBooks, a technology that adapts and responds to users, recommending course material needed to optimize learning.

Partnership with Perlego (2020): Partnered with online library Perlego to offer students access to digital textbooks.

These collaborations and acquisitions aim to enhance the organization's educational resources and technological capabilities.

Operational Insights

Cambridge University Press & Assessment differentiates itself through its deep connection to the University of Cambridge, its non-profit status, and its commitment to open access and innovation in education. Its extensive global reach and diverse product offerings position it as a significant player in the educational publishing and assessment market.

Strategic Opportunities and Future Directions

The organization is well-positioned to leverage its strengths in academic publishing, English language teaching, and international education to expand its global presence. Opportunities include further development of digital learning solutions, expansion of open access initiatives, and strengthening partnerships with educational institutions worldwide.