Higher education in great britain

There are different kinds of educational institutions in Great Britain including universities and colleges of various kinds. British universities are quite different and each of them has its own syllabus. Universities usually select students on the basis of A-level exam results [Advanced Level] and an interview.

All British universities can be roughly divided into three groups, namely "an­cient", "redbrick" or "modern" ("provincial') and the new ones. Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest universities in Great Britain. They are called Oxbridge to denote an elitarian education. Each consists of self-governing colleges. Colleges are very rich. They have wonderful books in the libraries, botanical gardens, observatory and an anatomy school and even rich collections of pictures.\l/n/Vers/'fy is only an administrative body, which organizes lectures for all students of the colleges, arranges examina­tions and awards degrees. The teaching is based on the tutorial (that means the individual tuition) as well as lectures. Each student has a tutor who plans his work.

Four universities founded in Scotland i.e.-St. Andrews (1411), Glasgow (1450), Aberdeen (1494) and Edinburgh (1583) are considered to be the ancient universities, too.

During the 19th century various institutions of higher education were founded in large centers of industry such as Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

The University of London also refers to this group. It is rather old. It was given a Charter in 1836. Now there are about twenty colleges and schools of the university.

The New Universities were founded after the Second World War. Some of them quickly became popular because of their modern approach to university courses.

One of the new developments in education of Britain is certainly the Open University.

Colleges form an important part of higher education system in England and Wales. Colleges prepare young people for entry to specific job, or offer a specialist qualification.

Polytechnics are fairly new. The government in 1966 established them in qrder to concentrate the large amount of work of university standard being done outside the university.

A degree is an academic qualification awarded at most universities and col­leges upon completion of a higher educational course (a first degree) or a piece of research (higher degrees).

In general Bachelor's degree [B.A. or B.Sc] is given to students who pass exams at the end of three or four years of study.

The first post-graduate degree is that of a Master conferred for a thesis based > on at least one year's full-time work. And the degree of Doctor of Philosophy [Ph.D.] is given for a thesis, which is an original contribution to knowledge.

The highest governing body of most universities is usually a Council consist­ing of a few professors together with some local notables. Each department has its chief who has usually the title of Professor.

7)According to the Constitution of the Russian Federation every citizen of our country lias the right to educa­tion. Secondary schools, colleges and higher educational establishments en­sure it. At the age of 6 or 7 boys and girls go to school and they stay here until they are 14 - 17 years old. After finishing 9 forms of a secondary school young people can continue their education in the 10th and 11th forms.

There are many lyceums, private schools and gymnasiums in Russia. After finishing a secondary school, a technical school or a college young people can start working to enter any institute or university they'll choose

Higher education inthis country has been steadily developing and improv­ing together with the society. Higher educational institutions, that is institutes, universities and

academies, offer 5 or 6-years program for academic subjects for undergraduates in Various fields,

There are two terms in the academic year. If a person finishes a post-graduate course and writes his or her theses, he or she is awarded a degree of a Master (Candidate) or a Doctor of Sciences.

Higher educational establishments are headed by Rectors (Presidents).

Our institutes and universities are staffed by academicians, corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Science, doctors and masters of science,^ readers, teachers and tutors. There exist a lot of agreements on scientific and technological cooperation be­tween higher schools and industrial enterprises.