[4] The Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) was founded as the Local Lectures Syndicate in 1873 by the University of Cambridge engineer James Stuart.

[11] In the same year, the university appointed the Local Lectures Syndicate, which included James Stuart, as well as Brooke Westcott, Joseph Lightfoot, and Henry Sidgwick.

[12] In 1924, the Local Lectures Syndicate became the autonomous Board of Extra-Mural Studies (BEMS)[13] and it found a new permanent home a few years when it moved to the newly built Stuart House in Mill Lane, Cambridge in 1927.

[29] Madingley Hall was built in the 1540s and was later rented by Queen Victoria for the young Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) while he was a student at Cambridge.

[35][36][37][38][39][40] ICE's one-year part-time postgraduate (FHEQ level 7) courses give students the opportunity to gain a recognised qualification in the arts, sciences or professional disciplines.

[43] ICE delivers a range of MSt courses in fields including Clinical Medicine, Medical Education, Artificial Intelligence and Creative Writing.

[32] In the 2018–19 academic year, ICE led the introduction of Apprenticeships at Cambridge University to offer skill-based apprentice courses, giving students the opportunity to earn a postgraduate qualification in a select range of professional fields.

[48] In September 2019, ICE launched a new series of short courses called ‘Super Tuesdays,’ which provided a three-hour introduction to a specific topic for adults of all ages, with no previous qualifications necessary.

The course aims to develop students’ abilities in research methods and practices and understanding of emerging themes in business management or engineering.

[55] Students who successfully complete degree-bearing programs of one academic year or longer at the undergraduate or postgraduate level are granted official alumni status of the University of Cambridge, along with all associated privileges.

[5] All award-bearing courses receive a University of Cambridge qualification, which are part of the UK's Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).