Welcome to Merton College. Our community of scholars, founded in 1264, formed the model for all subsequent Oxford and Cambridge colleges. Since then we have fostered generations of academic and cultural leaders in many fields. Today we still aspire to excellence in our teaching and research as a vibrant and diverse intellectual community. The talent and dedication of college fellows, students, staff and alumni combine with our historic architecture, beautiful gardens, delicious food, fine accommodation, and generous support for students and researchers to make Merton an extraordinary place in which to learn and to teach. At present, for example, we number among our Governing Body and Emeritus Fellows eleven Fellows of the Royal Society and five Fellows of the British Academy.