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.

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 hairdrcssing. full-time or part-time. Further education colleges have strong tics 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 or letter with their tutors and attend summer schools.

Exercise 2. Give Ukrainian equivalents:

be committed to; maintain position; give emphasis to; 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.