Cambridge shoots ahead

© Phil Mynott

The University of Cambridge climbed to first place this year among international institutions, up from 9th last year and 25th in 2006. One reason for the jump, says Oliver Jones, a postdoc in biochemistry and leader of the university's postdoc society, is the university's new focus on professional training. "If you want to learn some new skill there's usually some way of doing it."

About five years ago, the postdoc society began lobbying for career support services. In September, 2006, the university responded, hiring careers adviser Anne Forde to guide the approximately 900 postdocs in the life sciences. The program hit the ground running. In less than a year, Forde held approximately 170 one-on-one meetings, numerous workshops to critique resumes, and three seminars a year on topics including how to secure funding, jobs in industry, and non-bench career options.

An emphasis on collaboration and several new facilities are also helping expand postdocs' scientific playground. Cambridge's renowned faculty - the university boasts 35 life-science-related Nobel Prizes - has always attracted young researchers, but a handful of new institutes are also raising its profile. A new stem cell research center opened in December, 2006, and the Institute of Metabolic Sciences is expected to open this summer. Last February, the university completed a new center for cancer research, which will receive £20 million annually in core funding. The university also launched a website to help researchers and postdocs seek out cross-disciplinary collaborations. "We're not only interested in setting up institutes," says David Sargan, director of the Graduate School of Life Sciences, "we're also making sure they cross-fertilize with each other."