Text 4. Higher Education in the UK
The British Government is committed to improving education and training for 16- to 19-year-olds and considers that a high level of cooperation between the education system and business is necessary to maintain Britain's position as a leading industrial and trading nation. Rapid technological change and intense international cooperation mean that education must be closely matched to the needs of the economy. More emphasis is being given to science, engineering, technology and vocational courses. Colleges and universities cooperate directly with industry in joint ventures like science parks and regional technology centres, which are set up to promote research, design, testing, consultancy as well as development and commercial application of advanced technology.
Higher education in England has several branches: colleges of education that mostly prepare students to be teachers, polytechnics that usually prepare students for some kind of career and universities. Virtually all higher education is selective, usually depending on how well a student does in GCE, "A" level (the General Certificate of Education, "Advanced" level). However, good exam results alone are not enough. Universities choose their students after interviews. For all British citizens a place at a university brings with it a grant from their local education authority.
The academic year in Britain's universities. Polytechnics, Colleges of Education is divided into three terms, which usually run from the beginning of October to the middle of December, from the middle of January to the end of March, and from the middle of April to the end of June or the beginning of July.
After three years of study a university graduate will leave with the Degree of Bachelor of Arts, Science, Engineering, Medicine etc. Later he may continue to take a Master's Degree and then a Doctor's Degree. Research is an important feature of university work. The Polytechnics like the universities offer first and higher degrees. Colleges of Education provide two-year courses in teacher education or sometimes three years if the graduate specializes in some particular subject.
There are 46 universities in Britain. The oldest and best-known universities are located in Oxford, Cambridge, London, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Southampton, Cardiff, Bristol, Birmingham. English universities greatly differ from each other. They differ in dates of foundation, size, history, traditions, general organization, methods of instruction, and students’ way of life.
Some school leavers choose to go to a further education college where they can follow a course in typing, engineering, town planning, cooking or hairdressing, full-time or part-time. Further education colleges have strong ties with commerce and industry. The Government-funded Professional, Industrial and Commercial Updating Programs encourage colleges, polytechnics and universities to improve the knowledge and skills of the workforce at all levels and in all sectors.
There is an interesting form of studies, which is called the Open University. It is intended for people who study in their own free time and who attend "lectures" by watching television and listening to the radio. They keep in touch by phone or letter with their tutors and attend summer schools.
Some 80,000 overseas students study at British universities or further education colleges or train in nursing, banking, law or in industry.
Exercise 31. Give Ukrainian equivalents:
be committed to; maintain position; give emphasis to; joint venture; set up centres; commercial application; do well in; take a Master's Degree; offer first and higher degrees; provide two-year courses in; specialize in some particular subject; go to a further education college; follow a course in typing or engineering full-time or part-time; attend "lectures" by watching television; keep in touch by phone.
Exercise 32. Answer the following questions to Text 4.
1. Why is the British Government committed to improving education? 2. Is there any cooperation of colleges and universities with industry? 3. What branches does higher education in England have? 4. What careers are students trained for? 5. What is implied by "higher education in Britain is selective"? 6. What is the academic year in Britain's universities like? 7. What degree will a university graduate leave with after three years of study? 8. What is the duration of the teacher-training course provided at Colleges of Education? 9. What have you learnt about the oldest and best-known universities in Britain? 10. Why do some school leavers choose to go to a further education college? 11. What is the Open University known for?
Exercise 33. Comment upon the statements.
1. No man is born wise or learned. 2. If a thing is worth doing at all it is worth doing well. 3. Some read to think - these are rare; some to unite - these are common; and some to talk, - and these form the great majority. 4. Science is organized knowledge. 5. By doing nothing we learn to do ill. 6. Learning without thought is labour lost, thought without learning is perilous (dangerous).
Exercise 34. Tell about higher education in the UK.
Exercise 35. Read the text and put 7 special questions to the text.
THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN UK
Education in England and Wales is regulated by the Education Act, 1944. The Ministry of Education is the central authority established by law. Scotland and Northern Ireland have educational systems of their own basically similar to that of England and Wales, but differing considerably in details.
The system of public education in England and Wales is organized in three stages of Primary, Secondary and Further Education. The first two are compulsory for all children. Further education is voluntary. All children must, by law, go to school when they are five. They can leave school at 15, but many boys and girls stay at school until they are 16 or 17 and then go to further education or to the university.
THE UNIVERSITIES OF OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE
The oldest universities of Oxford and Cambridge were founded in the two towns towards the end of the twelfth century. The story of the University in Cambridge begins in 1209 when several hundred students and scholars arrived in the little town of Cambridge. These students were all churchmen and had been studying in Oxford, at the city of well-known schools.
There were many quarrels with the townsfolk, for the University wanted to be independent of the Town. Side by side with the fight for freedom from Town rule and another for liberty from Church rule the University became its own master at last in 1500. Now at Oxford and Cambridge the colleges are self-governing institutions.
In those early days student life was very different from what it is now. Students were of all ages and came from everywhere. The students were armed; some robbed the people of the countryside.
Students were forbidden to play games, to sing (except religious hymns), to hunt or fish, or even to dance. All the lessons were in the Latin language which students had to speak even among themselves.
Many great men studied at Cambridge and Oxford, among them Bacon the philosopher, Milton the poet, Newton the scientist, and John Galsworthy the writer.
The universities have their own traditions, which they preserve carefully. A student must wear a cap and gown – it is a custom from the time when students were clergymen. If a student disobeys this regulation he must pay a fine. Students correctly dressed have their meals in the College dining-room and mustn't be late for dinner. Sporting activities are very numerous and popular there.