The Cambridge Union launched its Michaelmas 2021 termcard today (5/10). For the first time since March 2020, the termcard will feature full-capacity in-person speaker and debate events and no enforced mask-wearing.

Two new scholarship initiatives have been launched alongside the termcard. The Stephen Fry Scholarship will offer free lifetime membership of the Union to 50 STEM students, whilst the Silver Street Scholarship will provide three years of free membership to 25 students experiencing financial hardship each year.

Speakers this term will include Stephen Fry, who is attending to launch the STEM scholarship; singer Jessie J and comedian John Cleese. Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and psychology professor Jordan Peterson will also attend, as well as other speakers to be announced after the official release of the termcard.

Alongside the individual speaker events, 11 debates will be held this term. Terry Eagleton will debate on the nature of literary classics, and in October the former Director of Operations at the Ministry of Defence will argue in favour of the motion that Britain was right to leave Afghanistan.

Following its redevelopment over the past year, including the construction of The Orator, a new bar and restaurant space, the Union will offer a busy social calendar including the society’s largest ever ball in November and a two-day freshers festival.

Keir Bradwell, the Union President for Michaelmas 2021, stated “I am exceptionally grateful that my time at the Union has coincided with us spreading our wings and being able to make the most of the national reopening.”

Bradwell continued: “From the social events we’ve got in the works that will truly make the most of our new facilities, to the eleven fantastic debates we’ll be staging and the calibre of speaker we’ve been able to bring in, this will be a Union termcard the likes of which most of us have never experienced before.”

Union lifetime membership is discounted from £200 to £185 until 21/10, and second years who missed the opportunity to join last year can become members for £155. These prices run alongside the Union’s access membership scheme, where memberships for students on bursaries can be purchased for a minimum of £115.