Kathleen Lyttelton Fund
Protecting exceptional teaching at Selwyn
Ask any Selwyn graduate about their time here and they will mention a supervisor. It might have been someone who asked the one question they had not thought of, or prompted them to challenge themselves.
The supervision system is the core of the undergraduate experience at Cambridge. It teaches students to think critically, to construct, defend and adjust arguments, articulate views clearly and to question their own assumptions. Those skills last well beyond their studies.
Selwyn is known for its high-quality teaching. Supervisors tailor their teaching to the needs of the students they supervise, supporting them to thrive intellectually and prepare them for success in Tripos examinations. This focus pays off, with students at Selwyn achieving consistently high academic results. In 2026, Selwyn came second in the Baxter table, which ranks colleges' exam performance, behind only Trinity College.
High-quality teaching cannot be taken for granted. The supervision system is one of Cambridge’s greatest strengths, but it is also resource-intensive. As higher education faces growing pressures, Selwyn is determined to safeguard this distinctive educational experience for future generations.
How your gift will be used
The Sir David Harrison Fund for sciences was launched in 2024 with the support of more than 400 alumni in honour of our former Master. This fund is currently supporting a Sir David Harrison Fellow, Professor James Moultrie (Director of Studies in Engineering).
The Kathleen Lyttelton Fund will do the same for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Kathleen was a writer of fiction and non-fiction, translator, campaigner for women’s suffrage and the first editor to commission Virginia Woolf. She was the wife of Selwyn’s first Master and a pioneering advocate for education and widening access to new ideas and opportunities. Every gift to the fund in her name will be invested in our endowment, creating a permanent source of funding to support outstanding teaching at Selwyn.
Please join us in ensuring that students will always have access to world-class teaching at Selwyn, by supporting the Kathleen Lyttelton Fund.