The research will examine the economic benefits that Cambridge could have gained from the slave trade, as well as analyze how academic studies may have perpetuated racist ideologies from the 18th to the early 20th century. It is estimated that between 10 million and 28 million Africans were transported across the Atlantic as part of the slave trade from the 15th to the 19th centuries, with many perishing during the journey. Those who survived faced a life of servitude on plantations producing sugar, tobacco, and cotton. Although Britain banned the trans-Atlantic slave trade in 1807, slavery itself was not fully abolished until a generation later. Martin Millett, the head of the advisory group overseeing the Cambridge study, stated that it is unclear what the investigation will reveal, but it is reasonable to believe that Cambridge University has benefited from the slave trade. He mentioned that during the colonial era, many large British institutions, including the University, likely directly or indirectly gained from and contributed to the practices of the time. Millett, who is a professor of archaeology, emphasized that the panel is also interested in how scholars at the University influenced public and political opinions, sometimes supporting racial attitudes that are unacceptable in today's society. The inquiry will be carried out by two full-time post-doctoral researchers at the Centre of African Studies. The research will investigate specific donations, inheritances, and historical ties to the slave trade. It is unclear what actions Cambridge University will take if it discovers that it profited from or supported slavery. Some of the leading universities in the Western world have been scrutinizing their histories and the origins of their wealth. In the United States, universities in the South have faced controversy over the confederate flag. In 2017, Yale University renamed its Calhoun College following protests calling for the removal of the name associated with a prominent supporter of slavery in the U.S. Grace Hopper College is now named after the computer scientist. In the UK, Oxford University is facing a debate about whether or not to remove a statue of colonialist Cecil Rhodes. Glasgow University has announced plans for a "programme of reparative justice" after finding out it benefited from historical slavery. Cambridge University's vice chancellor, Stephen Toope, believes it is important to acknowledge and understand the university's role in history, even if we cannot change the past. Critics argue that such investigations are driven by a contemporary trend of revisiting past injustices, often oversimplify complex issues, and, if applied broadly, would call into question nearly every aspect of the early history of long-established institutions. Gill Evans, a retired professor from Cambridge University, stated that in the current era of anti-colonialism, universities feel compelled to scrutinize their historical connections to colonialism. Evans emphasized the importance of understanding the historical context and intentions of people from the past before assigning blame, as culpability cannot be transferred from one era to another without considering the nuances of each time period. Cambridge University, one of the most ancient universities globally, can trace its roots back over 800 years to 1209 when scholars from Oxford sought shelter in the city. Oxford University itself has a history dating back to 1096.