For seven hundred years Oxford and Cambridge universities dominated the British education. Scotland had four universities, all founded before A. D. 1600. Wales only acquired a university in the 20th century; it consisted of four university colleges located in different cities (Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor, and Aberystwith). The first English university after Oxford and Cambridge (sometimes referred to as Oxbridge) was Durham, in the North of England, founded in 1832. The University of London was founded a few years later in 1836.
During the nineteenth century institutions of higher education were founded in most of the biggest industrial towns, like Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield (sometimes called the Redbrick Universities). At first they did not have full university status but were known as university colleges; since 1945, however, all have become independent universities, and in recent years a number of other universities have been founded: Sussex, Essex, Warwick, and others.
In the middle 60s there was a further new development. Some of the local technical colleges maintained by local authorities had gained special prestige. By 1967 ten of these had been given charters as universities. Many of them are in the biggest cities where there were already established universities; so now we have the University of Aston (Birmingham), Salford (close to Manchester), Strathclyde (Glasgow), Herriot-Watt University (Edinburgh), Brunei University (London).
When we add all these together we find that the number of universities in England increased within ten years from nineteen to thirty-six, and in Scotland from four to eight.
Oxford university is a federation of colleges, and it is impossible to understand its structure unless one first understands the nature and function of these colleges, which have no resemblance whatever with the institutions called "colleges" in America.
Oxford has twenty-three ordinary colleges for men, five for women. All these are parallel institutions, and none of them is connected with any particular field of study. No matter what subject a student proposes to study he may study at any of the men's colleges.
Each college has a physical existence in the shape of a dining-hall, chapel, and residential rooms (enough to accommodate about half the student membership, the rest living in lodgings in the town). It is governed by its Fellows (commonly called "dons"), of whom there are usually about twenty or thirty. The dons are also responsible for teaching the students of the college through the tutorial system. The Fellows elect the Head of the college (whose title varies from college to college).
The colleges vary very much in size and extent of grounds and buildings.
Colleges choose their own students, and a student only becomes a member of the University by having been accepted by a college. Students are chosen mainly on academic merit, but the policy of colleges in this respect varies from college to college. Some tend to be rather keen to admit a few men who are very good at rugby or some other sport, or sons of former students or of lords, or of eminent citizens, or of millionaires.
The colleges and university buildings are scattered about the town, mostly in the central area, though the scientific laboratories and the women's colleges are quite a long way out.
The university teachers are mostly Fellows of colleges, who may at the same time hold university appointments as lecturers or professors. Part of the teaching is by means of lectures and any student- may attend any university lecture. At the beginning of each term (there are three terms in the Oxford academic year) a list is published showing all the lectures being given during the term within each faculty, and every student can choose which lectures he will attend, though his own college tutor will advise him which lectures seem likely to be more useful. Attendance at lectures is not compulsory, and no records of attendance are kept.
Apart from lectures, teaching is by means of the "tutorial" system, which is a system of individual tuition organized by the colleges. Each Fellow in a college is tutor in his own subject to the undergraduates who are studying it. Each student goes to his tutors room once every week to read out an essay which he has written, and for an hour he and the tutor discuss the essay. A student does not necessarily go only to his own tutor but may be assigned to another don in his own college or in another college when he is studying some particular topic which is outside the special interest of his own tutor.
During the nineteenth century institutions of higher education were founded in most of the biggest industrial towns, like Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield (sometimes called the Redbrick Universities). At first they did not have full university status but were known as university colleges; since 1945, however, all have become independent universities, and in recent years a number of other universities have been founded: Sussex, Essex, Warwick, and others.
In the middle 60s there was a further new development. Some of the local technical colleges maintained by local authorities had gained special prestige. By 1967 ten of these had been given charters as universities. Many of them are in the biggest cities where there were already established universities; so now we have the University of Aston (Birmingham), Salford (close to Manchester), Strathclyde (Glasgow), Herriot-Watt University (Edinburgh), Brunei University (London).
When we add all these together we find that the number of universities in England increased within ten years from nineteen to thirty-six, and in Scotland from four to eight.
Oxford university is a federation of colleges, and it is impossible to understand its structure unless one first understands the nature and function of these colleges, which have no resemblance whatever with the institutions called "colleges" in America.
Oxford has twenty-three ordinary colleges for men, five for women. All these are parallel institutions, and none of them is connected with any particular field of study. No matter what subject a student proposes to study he may study at any of the men's colleges.
Each college has a physical existence in the shape of a dining-hall, chapel, and residential rooms (enough to accommodate about half the student membership, the rest living in lodgings in the town). It is governed by its Fellows (commonly called "dons"), of whom there are usually about twenty or thirty. The dons are also responsible for teaching the students of the college through the tutorial system. The Fellows elect the Head of the college (whose title varies from college to college).
The colleges vary very much in size and extent of grounds and buildings.
Colleges choose their own students, and a student only becomes a member of the University by having been accepted by a college. Students are chosen mainly on academic merit, but the policy of colleges in this respect varies from college to college. Some tend to be rather keen to admit a few men who are very good at rugby or some other sport, or sons of former students or of lords, or of eminent citizens, or of millionaires.
The colleges and university buildings are scattered about the town, mostly in the central area, though the scientific laboratories and the women's colleges are quite a long way out.
The university teachers are mostly Fellows of colleges, who may at the same time hold university appointments as lecturers or professors. Part of the teaching is by means of lectures and any student- may attend any university lecture. At the beginning of each term (there are three terms in the Oxford academic year) a list is published showing all the lectures being given during the term within each faculty, and every student can choose which lectures he will attend, though his own college tutor will advise him which lectures seem likely to be more useful. Attendance at lectures is not compulsory, and no records of attendance are kept.
Apart from lectures, teaching is by means of the "tutorial" system, which is a system of individual tuition organized by the colleges. Each Fellow in a college is tutor in his own subject to the undergraduates who are studying it. Each student goes to his tutors room once every week to read out an essay which he has written, and for an hour he and the tutor discuss the essay. A student does not necessarily go only to his own tutor but may be assigned to another don in his own college or in another college when he is studying some particular topic which is outside the special interest of his own tutor.
ПЕРЕКЛАД
Протягом семисот років Оксфордський і Кембриджський університети були головними в системі британської освіти. У Шотландії було чотири університету, і всі вони засновані до 1600 року. Університет в Уельсі заснований тільки в XX столітті, в нього входили чотири університетських коледжі в містах Кардіфф, Свонсі, Бангор і Аберіствіз. Наступним після Оксфорда і Кембриджа (іноді їх називають Оксбридж) називають Дюрхем на півночі Англії, який був заснований в 1832 році. Лондонський Університет був заснований кількома роками пізніше, в 1836 році.
У дев'ятнадцятому столітті вищі навчальні заклади були засновані в найбільших індустріальних містах - Бірмінгемі, Манчестері, Лідсі, Шеффілді (їх ще називають університетами Редбрік). Спочатку у них не було університетського статусу, але вони були відомі як університетські коледжі, а з 1945 року всі стали незалежними університетами. В останні роки засновані такі університети як Сассекс, Ессекс, Варвік та інші.
В середині 60-х років університети отримали новий розвиток. Деякі з місцевих вищих технічних навчальних закладів, які підтримуються місцевими органами влади, придбали особливий статус. До 1967 року десяти з них були дані права університетів. Багато розташовані у великих містах, де вже були університети. Сьогодні це університети Астон (Бірмінгем), Салфорд (поруч з Манчестером), Стратклід (Глазго), університет Херріот-Ватт (Единбург), університет Брунею (Лондон).
Проаналізувавши все це, ми бачимо, що число університетів в Англії зросла за десять років з дев'ятнадцяти до тридцяти шести, і в Шотландії - з чотирьох до восьми.
Оксфордський університет є федерацією коледжів, і не можна зрозуміти його структуру, не зрозумівши структуру і функцію цих коледжів, які не мають нічого спільного з американськими «коледжами».
В Оксфорді двадцять три звичайних - чоловічих - коледжу і п'ять жіночих. Все це - установи із загальною програмою, і жоден з них не пов'язаний з якоюсь окремою галуззю науки. Який би предмет не запропонували вивчати студенту, він може вчитися в будь-якому з цих коледжів.
У кожному коледжі є їдальня, церква і житлові приміщення (достатні для того, щоб поселити половину студентів, інші живуть на квартирах в місті). Університетом керують члени ради коледжу (викладачі), зазвичай це двадцять або тридцять чоловік. Вони також відповідають за навчання студентів коледжу по консультативної системі. Члени ради обирають голову коледжу (в кожному коледжі цей титул називається по-різному).
Коледжі відрізняються за розміром і площі земель і будівель.
Коледжі вибирають своїх студентів, і студент стає членом університету тільки після прийняття в коледж. Студенти вибираються переважно за наукові досягнення, але політика коледжів з цього питання теж різна. Деякі коледжі прагнуть приймати тих студентів, які добре грають в регбі або якийсь інший вид спорту, або синів колишніх своїх студентів або лордів, або видатних громадян, або мільйонерів.
Будинки коледжів і університетів розкидані по місту, як правило, - в його центральній частині, хоча наукові лабораторії і жіночі коледжі розташовані далеко від центру.
Університетські викладачі - це, як правило, члени ради коледжів, які займають в університеті посади лекторів і професорів. Частина навчання - це лекції, будь-який студент може відвідувати будь-яку університетську лекцію. На початку кожного семестру (в Оксфорді, наприклад, три семестри в навчальному році) публікується розклад лекцій по факультетах на семестр, і кожен студент може вибрати, які лекції він буде відвідувати. Як правило, його університетський куратор може порадити йому, які лекції найбільш важливі. Присутність на лекціях не обов'язково, і ніякої облік відвідувань не ведеться.
Крім лекцій викладання ведеться за допомогою консультаційної системи - це система індивідуального навчання, організована в коледжах. Кожен викладач коледжу є одночасно і куратором по своєму предмету для студентів останнього курсу. Кожен студент приходить до свого викладача один раз в тиждень, щоб прочитати роботу, яку він написав, і протягом години обговорюють її з наставником. Студенту не обов'язково відвідувати тільки лекції свого наставника. Він може займатися з будь-яким викладачем в своєму або в іншому коледжі, якщо він вивчає тему, яка не входить в коло інтересів його наставника.
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