Association of British and Chinese University Students Cambridge (ABACUS)

The aim of ABACUS is to promote and celebrate British and Chinese cultural exchange. The society prides itself on being incredibly inclusive and welcoming to new faces. Our events are intended to cater for everyone, ranging from club nights to non-drinking events too. To name a few, we host the ABACUS Boat Party on the River Thames (an event we hold annually in collaboration with the Oxford University Asia-Pacific Society), Funkyard (the biggest Oriental club-night in Cambridge), and the Garden Party, as well as a number of smaller events, such as dim sum meetups, karaoke nights and formals. We promise that there is something for everyone! The society is also extremely proactive with regards to increasing the cohesion of the Asian community within Cambridge and we host several inter-society events that encourage the appreciation of a diverse range of cultures and, of course, allow our members to meet a wider range of people across the university. One of the best things about Cambridge ABACUS is the strong sense of community between our members and the lasting friendships that are formed as a result. The society acts as a home away from home for many of our members and allows you to establish a sense of belonging in the new environment that you are faced with when coming to university. We set up ‘ABACUS families’ early in the year and host a number of family formals so that new members are easily integrated into the community and have ‘parents’, who are more settled at the university, to be there to offer you guidance and support, whilst also providing a source of familiar faces at our events. We not only care about your welfare in our society, but also your future beyond university too, providing information when we can about exciting career opportunities that may be of interest.