Wednesday Lectures

These Lectures cover a wide range of topics – from international issues to matters of local interest, within any field, including literature, the arts, current affairs, social sciences, economics, philosophy, history and science. Speakers are experts and usually well known in their fields, and generously give their time voluntarily.

About

The Lectures are organised by the Director of Studies (Lectures) and members’ suggestions for possible speakers are very welcome. To contact the Lectures team, please email lectures@u3ac.org.uk.

In response to the survey on preferred lecture format, the majority of our lectures are being run as hybrid events, giving members the opportunity to attend either via Zoom, or apply for a limited number of pre-booked places to attend in person.  The talks will be in the Pink room here at Bridge Street. Places can be booked 7 days before each lecture. Please contact the Office to book, giving your name and membership number.

The Lectures (when held live at a physical venue) are open to all members on presentation of their U3AC membership card.

Lectures are open to members only. You will need to log in to access the Zoom link.

  • The programme for the term is published in the Newsletter.
  • Details of each week’s lecture are given in the weekly Bulletin and on the homepage of this website.

 

When and where

When: Wednesdays at 2.15 pm during the Autumn, Spring and Summer Terms. Lectures last for approximately an hour, followed by questions from the floor.

Where: Currently the lectures are held as a hybrid (by Zoom and in U3AC, Pink room, booked the week before the lecture)

The link is given in the listing on the right (you will need to log in), or you can ask the Office to email the link to you. 

Attendees will be able to submit comments and questions during the talk, which the lecturer will usually address during a Q&A session at the end (although some may elect to take interruptions). A moderator will monitor the comments and pass them to the speaker when requested.

Recordings of the lectures

Some previous lectures were recorded and are now available to watch

Please log in to view further information

 

This term's programme

Click on a title to find out more

08 Oct 2025

2:15 pm

The Cambridgeshire crucifixion: Roman justice, indigenous practice or careless burial – Corinne Duhig

Hybrid: via Zoom, and U3AC, Pink room (pre-booking required)

15 Oct 2025

2:15 pm

Town v. Gown; City v. Village: A History of Cricket in Cambridge – Prof Tony Watts

Hybrid: via Zoom, and U3AC, Pink room (pre-booking required)

22 Oct 2025

2:15 pm

The Vital Message: The University of Cambridge and Adult Learning since 1945 – Prof Mark Freeman

Hybrid: via Zoom, and U3AC, Pink room (pre-booking required)

29 Oct 2025

2:15 pm

From Raphael to Jean Michel-Basquiat – what Art can tell us about Love – Dr Nick Trend

Hybrid: via Zoom, and U3AC, Pink room (pre-booking required)

05 Nov 2025

2:15 pm

Canada, 1939-1945: Caught between Churchill and FDR – Dr Olivier Courteaux

Hybrid: via Zoom, and U3AC, Pink room (pre-booking required)

12 Nov 2025

2:15 pm

Hereward the Wake: fact, fiction and romance – Mike Lynch

Hybrid: via Zoom, and U3AC, Pink room (pre-booking required)

19 Nov 2025

2:15 pm

What’s the point of J.S. Bach’s sacred cantatas? – Thelma Lovell

Hybrid: via Zoom, and U3AC, Pink room (pre-booking required)

26 Nov 2025

2:15 pm

The art of laundry – Nick Higham

Hybrid: via Zoom, and U3AC, Pink room (pre-booking required)

03 Dec 2025

2:15 pm

Atlantic Furies: The Women who risked everything to be the first to fly – Midge Gillies

Hybrid: via Zoom, and U3AC, Pink room (pre-booking required)

10 Dec 2025

2:15 pm

Life at the end of the Earth: the weird and wonderful adaptations of Antarctic marine animals – Prof Lloyd Peck

Hybrid: via Zoom, and U3AC, Pink room (pre-booking required)

Click to download a list of Wednesday Lectures in the Autumn term

Click to download list of past lectures