Exam term is upon us once again, but the Cambridge Union promises plenty of events over the coming weeks to take our minds off stress and revision with the arrival of a brand-new Term Card.

Events include Footlights debates and forums on topics including homelessness and the Olympics. Speakers confirmed so far range from the Albanian president Bamir Topi to the popular television personality Sir Michael Parkinson.

As ever, the Union has kept to its promise of attracting as wide a range of speakers as possible, which is proven by their decision to welcome Neville Thurlbeck, former News of the World News Editor, on May 9that 6pm. After the Union’s decision last month to invite Dominique Strauss-Kahn was met with mixed opinions by students and made national headlines, the Union is still no stranger to controversy. Thurlbeck was arrested last year in relation to the investigations of phone-hacking at the newspaper.

The inclusion of prominent sports personalities as Union speakers is seen as particularly relevant in the months leading up to the Olympics, which are to be held in London this July. The Union president Michael Black described the confirmation of former boxer Joe Calzaghe and Gareth Thomas, the former Welsh rugby international, as ‘very relevant’.

The student-run organisation also showed that it was unafraid to tackle the ongoing debate concerning the rise in tuition fees for young people starting university courses this autumn. A debate held on May 10thfocuses on the government’s university fees reforms, and will be arguing for the motion that ‘this house has no confidence in the government’s higher education policy’.

A first-year Union member from Peterhouse commented on the line-up confirmed for the term, saying:

‘The debates look like they should be interesting, especially the one on social media with Jessica Powell. I will try to get to the Footlights debates this term, but that depends as usual on the size of the queues!’