Higher Education in Great Britain

The independence of Britain’s educational institutions is most noticeable in universities. They make their own choices of who to accept on their courses. There is no right of entry to university for anybody. Universities normally select students on the basis of A-level¹ results and an interview. Those with better exam grades² are more likely to be accepted.

Officially, all universities are equal in status. But they differ greatly in reputation and public image. In general the older the university is, the higher its status. So the most prestigious are the most ancient ones – Oxford and Cambridge.

The availability of higher education has increased greatly in the second half of the 20^th century. In 1960 there were less than twenty-five universities in the whole of Britain. By 1980 there were more than forty, and by 1997 there are well over a hundred institutions which have university status.

Nevertheless, finding a university place is not easy. Universities only take the better students. Because of this, and also because of the relatively high degree of personal supervision³ of students which the low ratio of students to staff⁴ allows, nearly all university students complete their studies – and in a very short time too! In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is only for modern languages and certain vocational⁵ studies that students take more than three years. In Scotland, four years is the norm for most subjects.

Another reason for the low drop-out rate is that “full-time”⁶ really means full-time. Students are not supposed to take a job during term time (normally about thirty to thirty-four weeks of the year). Unless their parents are rich, they receive a state grant of money which is intended to cover most of their living expenses. This includes the cost of accommodation. A large proportion of students live “on campus”⁷, or in rooms nearby, which tends to mean that the student is surrounded by a university atmosphere.

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¹A-level = advanced level – экзамен по программе средней школы на повышенном уровне

²exam grades – экзаменационные оценки

³supervision – наблюдение, руководство

⁴the ratio of students to staff - соотношение численности студентов и преподавателей

⁵vocational – профессиональный (имеющий отношение к профессии)

⁶full-time – полный рабочий день, полная рабочая неделя

⁷campus – территория университета

Task 9. Find the English equivalents for the following words and word combinations; memorize them.

1. принимать на университетский курс

2. поступление в университет

3. доступность высшего образования

4. низкий уровень отсева

5. в учебное время

6. получать денежную субсидию

7. покрывать расходы на жизнь

8. стоимость проживания

9. проживать на территории университета

Task 10. Fill the gaps with prepositions; read and translate the sentences.

1. Britain’s educational institutions are famous … their independence.

2. Universities themselves decide whom to accept … their courses.

3. British universities differ … reputation. The oldest universities have the best public image.

4. British universities were known …the low ratio … students … staff, but … recent years the student staff ratio has been getting higher.

5. … 1600 there were only four universities … the whole … Scotland.

6. Universities normally select students … the basis … their school achievements.

7. One … the reasons … the low drop-out rate … British universities is that British students are not allowed to take any job … term time.

8. British government tries to reduce the amount ... the student grant, as a result many students cannot afford to live … campus, away … home.

9. British universities are very popular … overseas students.

10. Due to high degree … personal supervision nearly all university students complete their studies … a very short time.

Task 11. Complete the following sentences.

1. Though British universities are officially equal in status, they differ in …

2. In modern Britain there are over a hundred institutions which have …

3. There are several reasons for the low drop-out rate in British universities. First, they take only …, second, there is a relatively high degree of …, third, the students are not supposed to …

4. In Britain the term of university studies may vary from … to …

5. Many British students receive a state grant of money which is intended to …

6. Many British students live “on campus” and are surrounded by …

Task 12. Read the text and say whether the statements below are true or false; render the text in Russian.

Ninety percent of higher education in British universities is state-funded, although the universities themselves are completely independent. They appoint their own staffs, and decide what and how their students should be taught.

Oxford and Cambridge have residential colleges in which students live during term time, but not all British universities are residential¹. Most are in large towns, and many of their students come from the local area and live at home. In recent years, however, universities have provided more halls of residenceсe.

A first degree (undergraduate course) at a British university usually takes three years of full-time study, although some specialist courses, such as medicine, take longer.

Unlike American universities and colleges, where standards may vary dramatically from one institution to another, the standard throughout Britain is fairly uniform. This uniformity in standard is partly achieved by the practice of having external examiners from other universities marking all examination papers.

The word “college” in Britain refers to a variety of educational training institutes, most of which are not of the same academic standing as a university. There are, for example, technical colleges, colleges of agriculture, art and music, commerce, building and teacher training.

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¹residential college – колледж, имеющий помещения для проживания студентов

1. British universities are financially independent from the government.

2. They are also independent to decide on the curriculum and who to accept on their courses.

3. All British universities have residential colleges, where students live during term time.

4. As a rule, it takes a British student three years of full-time study to get the first degree.

5. In Britain, like in the USA, the universities have uniform standards for their degrees.

6. British universities practice having examiners from other universities to mark the students’ examination papers.

7. In Britain universities and colleges have the same academic standing.

Task 13. Fill the gaps with the words from the box, read and translate the text.