There are several youth organizations associated with political
parties. The Youth Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (YCND) unites thousands
of young people of Great Britain. It co-operates with the National Union of
Students and many other youth organizations. It organizes mass rallies and
meetings, demonstrations, marches of protest, festivals.
9.Life at College and University
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.
There are about one hundred universities in Britain. The oldest and
best-known universities are located in Oxford, Cambridge, London, Leeds,
Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Southampton, Cardiff, Bristol,
Birmingham.
Good А-level results in at least two subjects are necessary to get а
place at а university. However, good exam passes alone are not enough.
Universities choose their students after interviews. For all British
citizens а place at а university brings with it а grant from their local
education authority.
English universities greatly differ from each other. They differ in
date of foundation, size, history, tradition, general organization, methods
of instruction, way of student life.
After three years of study а university graduate will leave with the
Degree of Bachelor of Arts, Science, Engineering, Medicine, etc. Later he
may continue to take а Master’s Degree and then а Doctor’s Degree. Research
is an important feature of university work.
The two intellectual eyes of Britain — Oxford and Cam- bridge
Universities — date from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.
The Scottish universities of St. Andrews, Glasgow, Аberdeen and
Edinburgh date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
In the nineteenth and the early part of the twentieth centuries the
so-called Redbrick universities were founded. These include London,
Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield and Birmingham. During the late
sixties and early seventies some 20 'new' universities were set up.
Sometimes they are called 'concrete and glass' universities. Among them are
the universities of Sussex, York, East Anglia and some others.
During these years the Government set up thirty Polytechnics. The
Polytechnics, like the universities, offer first and higher degrees. Some
of them offer full-time and sandwich courses. Colleges of Education provide
two-year courses in teacher education or sometimes three years if the
graduate specializes in some particular subject.
Some of those who decide to leave school at the age of 16 may go tо а
further education college where they can follow а course in typing,
engineering, town planning, cooking, or hairdressing, full-time or part-
time. Further education colleges have strong ties with commerce and
industry.
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 and letter with their tutors and attend summer
schools. The Open University students have nо formal qualifications and
would be unable to enter ordinary universities.
Some 80,000 overseas students study at British universities or further
education colleges or train in nursing, law, banking or in industry.
10.Higher education.
As has been mentioned above, there is a considerable enthusiasm for
post-school education in Britain. The aim of the government is to increase
the number of students who enter into higher education. The driving force
for this has been mainly economic. It is assumed that the more people who
study at degree level, the more likely the country is to succeed
economically. A large proportion of young people – about a third in England
and Wales and almost half in Scotland – continue in education at a more A-
level beyond the age of 18. The higher education sector provides a variety
of courses up to degree and postgraduate degree level, and careers out
research. It increasingly caters for older students; over 50% of students
in 1999 were aged 25 and over and many studied part-time. Nearly every
university offers access and foundation courses before enrolment on a
course of higher education of prospective students who do not have the
standard entry qualifications.
Higher education in Britain is traditionally associated with
universities, though education of University standard is also given in
other institutions such as colleges and institutes of higher education,
which have the power to award their own degrees.
The only exception to state universities is the small University of
Buckingham which concentrates on law, and which draws most of its students
of overseas.
All universities in England and Wales are state universities (this
includes Oxford and Cambridge).
English universities can be broadly classified into three types. First
come the ancient universities of Oxford and Cambridge that date from the
12th century and that until 1828 were virtually the only English
universities.
11.Oxbridge
Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest and most prestigious universities
in Great Britain. They are often called collectively Oxbridge. Both
universities are independent. Only the education elite go to Oxford or
Cambridge. Most of their students are former public schools leavers.
The normal length of the degree course is three years, after which the
students take the Degree of Bachelor of Arts (В.А.). Some courses, such as
languages or medicine, bay be one or two years longer. The students may
work for other degrees as well. The degrees are awarded at public degree
ceremonies'. Oxford and Cambridge cling to their traditions, such as the
use of Latin at degree ceremonies. Full academic dress is worn at
examinations.
Oxford and Cambridge universities consist of а number of colleges.
Each college is different, but in many ways they are alike. Each
college has its name, its coat of arms. Each college is governed by a
Master. The larger ones have more than 400 members, the smallest colleges
have less than 30. Each college offers teaching in а wide range of
subjects. Within, the college one will normally find а chapel, а dining
hall, а library, rooms for undergraduates, fellows and the Master, and also
rooms for teaching purposes.
Oxford is one of the oldest universities in Europe. It is the second
largest in Britain, after I.ondon. The town of Oxford is first mentioned in
the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 911 А.D. and it was popular with the early
English kings (Richard Coeur de Lion' was probably here). The university's
earliest charter" is dated tо 1213.
There are now twenty-four colleges for men, five for women and another
five which have both men and women members, many from overseas studying for
higher degrees. Among the oldest colleges are University College, All Souls
and Christ Church.
The local car industry in East Oxford gives an important addition to
the city' s outlook. There а great deal of bi- cycle traffic both in Oxford
and Cambridge.
12.Oxford.
The first written record of the town of Oxford dates back to the year
912. Oxford University, the oldest and most famous university in Britain,
was founded in the middle of the 12th century and by 1300 there were
already 1,500 students. At that time Oxford was a wealthy town, but by the
middle of the 14th century it was poorer, because of a decline in trade and
because of the terrible plague, which killed many people in England. The
relations between the students and the townspeople were very unfriendly and
there was often fighting in the streets.
Nowadays there are about 12,000 students in Oxford and over 1000
teachers. Outstanding scientists work in the numerous colleges of the
University teaching and doing research work in physics, chemistry,
mathematics, cybernetics, literature, modern and ancient languages, art and
music, psychology.
Oxford University has a reputation of a privileged school. Many
prominent political figures of the past and present times got their
education at Oxford.
The Oxford English Dictionary is well-known to students of English
everywhere. It contains approximately 5,000,000 entries, and there are
thirteen volumes, including a supplement.
Oxford University Press, the publishing house which produces the
Oxford English Dictionary has a special department called the Oxford Word
and Language Service.
Cambridge University started during the 13th century and grew until
today. Now there are more than thirty colleges.
On the banks of the Cam'4 willow trees drown their branches into the water.
The colleges line the right bank. There are beautiful college gardens with
green lawns and lines of tall trees. The oldest college is Peterhouse,
which was founded in 1284, and the most recent is Robinson College, which
was opened in 1977. The most famous is probably King' s College" because of
its magnificent chapel, the largest and the most beautiful building in
