1. Answer the questions.

1. Where in London is the U. of L. situated?

2. When was the U. of L. founded?

3. What was the purpose of its foundation?

4. What changes did the University undergo in the course of its development?

5. What it U. of L. governed by?

6. Is the U. of L. dependent or independent of the British Parliament in academic matters?

7. How many students does the department of Extra-Mural Studies enroll?

8. What part of the University students in the United Kingdom are the students of the U. of L.

9. Has the University departed from the traditions of Oxford and Cambridge?

10. _{What was the U. of L. the first to do?}

3. Speak about.

a.. The early years of the University of London

b. The University at present

c. Its advanced activity

Unit 3. Universities in Belarus

Vocabulary notes.

entrance competition – вступительные экзамены

tuition fee – плата за обучения

bachelor – бакалавр

award – награждать

post graduate courses – аспирантура

thesis – дипломная работа

valid – действительный

submit – предоставить

credit test – зачет

term – семестр

grant – стипендия

schooling – обучения

graduation project – дипломный проект

academic year – учебный год

chair – кафедра

dean – декан

to found – основывать

educational – учебный

scientific – научный

to train – обучать, готовить

chair – кафедра

up-to-date – современный

facilities – условия

to secure – обеспечивать

to aim (at) – направлять (на)

council – совет

to defend – защищать

trend – направление, тенденция

graduate – выпускник

to foresee – предвидеть

rolling stock – подвижной состав

means of communication – виды связи

to assimilate – осваивать

software – программно-математическое обеспечение

water supply – водоснабжение

perspective – перспективный

acquire – приобретать

skill – навык

investigate – исследовать

fundamentals – основы

kinds of transport – виды транспорта

book-keeping discount – бухгалтерский учет

clerical work – делопроизводство

extra-mural – заочный

career-guidance – профессиональная ориентация

pre-university training – довузовская подготовка.

Read and translate the text. Be ready to speak about higher education in Belarus.

Text 1 Higher education in Belarus.

The Belarussian system of higher education includes educational, research and governing institutions that use unified official standards and rules in the processes of teaching, management, assessment and research. Higher education is provided by public (State) and private (non-State) accredited higher education institutions (HEIs). Education in public HEIs is free of charge for students who passed the entrance competition. In private HEIs, all students pay tuition fees. Higher education is under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, which is responsible for the accreditation and licensing of HEIs and developing and applying the State Educational Standards. Since 1994, the higher education system included: a diploma of higher education after 5 years of study (specialist diploma); a bachelor degree certificate after 5 years of study and a master after one additional year following the first degree. In 2005, Belarus had 44 state higher education institutions (25 universities, 9 academies, 4 institutes, 5 colleges and 1 technical school) with 272,900 students; and 13 Private higher education institutions with 163,500 full-time, 1,800 part-time and 107,600 distance students.

The first level of higher education is leading to the (Bachelor's degree). This degree is awarded in all fields except in Medicine after defending a Diploma project and sitting for a final state exam. In Medicine, this first stage lasts for 6 years. The second level of higher education leads to the Specialist Diploma (Master's Degree) after one or two years of study following upon the Bachelor’s degree. Access to these programme is competitive. The Master’s degree is awarded after one year of study and the presentation and defence of a thesis. The Specialist Diploma is awarded upon completion of at least one year's study after the Bachelor’s degree. The Specialist Diploma is a professional qualification that gives right to the exercice of professional activities and to apply for doctoral programmes. The third stage corresponds to the training of scientific and pedagogical personnel. There is a two-level system of scientific degrees. The first is that of Candidate of Sciences. It requires at least 3 years of study in postgraduate courses, special examinations and the public defence of a thesis. Following this, the student is awarded the degree of

(Candidate of Sciences) The second level is that of Doctor of Sciences. Holders of the Candidate of Sciences can prepare a Doctorate. After following the required research programme, candidates are awarded the highest scientific degree of (Doctor of Sciences). The thesis is also defended in public. The Dissertation Councils are supervised by the State Supreme Certifying Committee of the Republic of Belarus. It is possible to do doctorate research and sit for a scientific degree while not following postgraduate courses. Higher education and research establishments support such persons and provide them with a supervisor.

Foreign students must hold a secondary school-leaving certificate or an equivalent qualification to

that of general secondary school in Belarus. They must submit a valid passport, a notorized copy of their secondary education qualification, a medical certificate and 6 photos. They are then sent an invitation so as to obtain an entry visa. For postgraduate courses, students must hold a Master's Degree. The rules of admission and instruction are specified in the Regulations concerning Training Foreign Citizens in the Republic of Belarus approved by the decree of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus. Admission documents must be submitted at least two-and-a-half months before classes begin in Belarussian, Russian, English, French or Spanish. Admission requirements for foreign students are adopted by the higher education institutions if they are not otherwise provided for by inter-state agreements. Foreign students sign a contract with the institution.

Foreign students who have no command of the language of instruction can follow a one-year course at a preparatory department of the institution where they study the language of instruction and specialization subjects that are relevant for the chosen course. At the end of the year, they must sit for an examination. Successful students obtain a graduation certificate and are admitted to the basic course of study in the chosen speciality. Those who fail are dismissed from the institution and asked to leave the country.

The Belarusian State University, is the Major Belarusian university, it was

founded in 1921. In 2006 had 15 major departments applied

mathematics, biology; chemistry; geography;

economics; international Relations; journalism; history; humanitarian

sciences; law; mechanics and mathematics; philology; philosophy and social sciences; physics; radiophysics and eletronics. It also included 5

R&D institutes, 24 Research Centres, 114 laboratories. The

University employes over 2,400 lecturers and 1,000 research fellows;

1,900 of these hold Ph.D. or Dr.Sc. degrees. There are 16,000 undergraduate students at the university, as well as over 700 Ph.D.

students.

1. Answer the questions to the text

1. What is the Ministry of Education responsible for?

2. What does the higher education system include?

3. How many higher education institutions are there in Belarus?

4. What degrees do the first, the second and the third stages of University Education lead to?

5. How long does the study in postgraduate courses last?

6. What is the highest scientific degree?

7. In what way is it defended?

8. What must foreign students submit to enter a University?

9. What faculties are there of the Belarusian State University?

10. What can you say about its staff ?

2. Answer the following questions and be ready to speak about lectures at your University.

1. Are there any popular lecturers at your Faculty? Who are they? Have you ever been to their lectures or has anybody told you about them? What makes some lecturers popular and some unpopular? Does it depend on the subject? 2. Do you take notes at lectures? Is it difficult or easy for you to follow the lecturers? Why? Could you read it all in a book? Is there always a book on the subject? If there is, do you always read it? Which do you prefer - a lecture or a book?

3. Some lectures are certainly more interesting than others. What is in­terest dependent on (зависит)? Does it depend mostly on the subject of the lecture or on the personality of the lecturer? Some people believe that some subjects are less exciting than others but must still be mastered. What's your opinion?

4. Is the student a passive recipient of knowledge at the lectures or does he actively participate in the process of acquiring knowledge?

5. Why are some lectures boring? Choose the most common reasons: the subject is boring; the subject is of no importance to you; the subject is too difficult for you to master; you missed some previous lectures; you find it hard to concentrate; you are not interested in the subject; you can't hear the lecturer well; you're not yet accustomed to listening to lectures every day; you get tired easily; the lecturer's manner of speech is monotonous; the lecturer speaks too fast for you to take notes; the lecturer's arguments are too complicated for you; the lecturer gives no original information. Can you think of any other reasons?

6. What are the characteristics of an ideal/bad lecturer?

c) Develop the following situations.

Situation 1 Your friend believes that lectures are useless. Argue the oppo­site viewpoint.

Situation 2. Your friend wants to become a university lecturer. Describe the qualities he must develop in order to make a good lecturer.

Situation 3. You are a university professor. Let your friend ask you about the advantages and disadvantages of giving lectures. Describe your audience.

Text 2

Read and translate the text.

The Belarusian State University of Transport.

The Belarusian State University of Transport ( up to 1993 it was Byelarusian Institute for Railway Engineers ) was founded in 1953 and it is situated in Gomel, one of the most beautiful places of the Belarusian Polesye. The University is the leading educational and scientific research institution of the transportation and building complex of the republic.

During the years passed the University trained more than 27000 engineers, bachelors and masters. You can meet our specialists not only in Belarus but in all countries of CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) and many foreign countries. Among them there are talented engineers, scientists, ministers, managers of railways, heads of higher educa­tional institutions, scientific research institution and enterprises, deputies of die parliament of the republic and local government bodies, businessmen, teachers of educational estab­lishments.

More than 300 teachers including 170 professors and assistant professors train per­sonnel at 32 chairs of the University. Regional education centers of the University are situated in Brest, Vitebsk, Minsk. The Institute of Raising Professional Skills and Scien­tific Research Institute of Railway Transport function in the structure of the University. The University is integrated into the international educational system, it has an up-to-date educational, methodical and research base at its disposal. The University carries out a number of fundamental and applied scientific research projects. The University carries out a number of fundamental and applied scientific research projects. The University has all facilities for studies, work and rest. The student's town, scientific and technical library and Sports Complex are situated next to educational buildings. The University is opened for the contacts with educational and scientific establishments and firms, specialists in the all the main trends of its activities.

Engineers, bachelors and masters are trained at 8 faculties in 21 specialities and spe­cialization:

• Organization of transportation process and management on the transport.

• Automation, telemechanics and communication on the transport.

• The rolling stock (locomotives and cars).

• Technical exploitation of the electric city transport.

• Technology and equipment of highly effective material processing methods.

• Road building and lifting-transport machinery and equipment.

• Water provision, water allotting, purification of natural water and sewage.

• Civil engineering construction.

• Production of building units and constructions.

• Book-keeping calculation, analysis and audit.

• Commercial activities.

• Economy and management of the transport.

The scientists of the University take an active part in the development of the national programme and the transport complex of Belarus Republic.

The main fundamental and applied scientific and research projects of the University are being carried out for the Byelorussian Railway and they are aimed at securing safe transportation process and raising the effectiveness of its activity in new economic condi­tions.

Management of Transportation Process Faculty.

Future specialists of the faculty put into practice management of transportation proc­esses, work out new technologies and automatized systems of the transport management. The graduates of the faculty possess deep knowledge in the field of transport market and management, they are able to foresee the ways of development of large technical, systems they can create safe and effective transport technologies, they can manage the work of the service personnel.

Mechanical Faculty.

Designing, production and operation of rolling stock demand from the mechanical engineer deep and universal knowledge. In the process of training the students study modern methods of design, prospective technologies of manufacturing, repairing and maintaing the rolling stock.

In scientific and educational laboratories of the faculty the students get fundamental training on progressive economical technologies, providing ecological purity reliability and durability of production.

All special subjects are based on modem economic-mathematical methods of solving optimizing problems on location, development and specialization of rolling stock enterprises.

Electrotechnical Faculty.

Future electric engineers acquire knowledge on automatic systems connected with safety providing of responsible technological processes on transport, energetics and industry. They study traditional means of communication and the newest ones: electronic and satellite post, digital systems of transmission and communication, optic-fiber lines and so on; assimilate technical means, software and automatic design of these systems, their technical diagnostics, designing and exploitation of information computing systems and devices according to demands of different kinds of transport and industry.

Construction Faculty.

The students get high qualification in the field of modern designing systems, exploitation and operation of perspective complexes of railway and road objects, mobile and stationary construction machinery and equipment, systems of effective water supply and purification, providing proper ecological standards.

Special attention is paid to obtaining quatanteed reliability of transport and construction systems and structures functioning, effective management and automation of operating processes.

Civil Engineering Faculty.

Future builders study modern construction technologies and operating automated systems, automated designing systems of buildings, structures, different constructions, manufacturing technology of decoration and other materials and anticorrosive coatings.

They acquire skills of investigating the reliability and durability of building constructions, houses and structures subjected to different factors.

Humanities and Economics Faculty.

The students of this faculty study the fundamentals of management, commercial work of the transport complex with the following specialization in the kinds of transport. The students get knowledge in book-keeping discount, audit and other trends of market economy. Much attention in the process of education is paid to the questions of insurance and taxation, automation of processing the economical discount and analytical information, psychology of management, general culture of clerical work and foreign languages.

Our students have an opportunity to choose additional disciplines of the humanitarian profile-cultural, philosophical, historical andothers acquainting with the global problems of our civilization.

Extra-mural Faculty.

The faculty trains specialists in 13 specialties without ceasing their work. The 1 st - 3 rd year students study at the training courses in Minsk, Brest and Vitebsk on the basis of educational and consultive methodical centre. The students of the senior courses study at the University.

Those who work on the chosen speciality have preference for being admitted to the University. All the students are fully provided with the necessary textbooks. Examinations are held twice a year: in winter and in spring. The system of extra mural education gives students the possibility to take credits and exams during the whole academic year.

Career guidance and Pre-University Training Faculty.

Students of transport and construction technical schools, city schools and lyceums attend long- and short-term training courses of the faculty.

Students get all-round information about the professions they can get in Bel SUT, conditions of studies; they take training courses on the subjects they will have entrance examinations in. Those attending the courses can use the University library and are provided with all necessary text-books.

Foreign Students Faculty.

Foreign citizens are admitted to this faculty for getting higher education.

At the faculty there is a Chair of Russian and Byelorussian Languages winch helps those who don't speak Russian to learn it during 9 months. They get knowledge of it enough for further studies. All foreign citizens admitted to the University are provided with comfortable accommodation.

1. Answer the questions.

1. What University do you study at?

2. What faculty do you study in?

3. What department do you study at?

4. When was our University established?

5. How many students study at our University?

6. How many faculties are there at our University and what are they?

7. What departments are there at our University?

8. What specialists does our University train?

9. How many years does the complete course at the University last?

10. When do applicants take examinations to the University?

11. What subjects do the students study at our University?

12. How many terms are there in the academic year?

13. When do students take examinations and credit tests?

14. What do the students present on completion of studies?

15. What do students receive after the graduation from the University?

16. How do students spend their free time?

2. Be ready to speak on the academic year at the University, credit tests and exams. Use the following words:

to be divided into terms, to take exams, at the end of the term ( the year ), to have vacation, a graduation project, to study free of charge, to receive a monthly grant, experienced teachers and professors, to receive a diploma of an engineer.

3. Be ready to speak on

a) your University;

b) your studies at the University;

c) your examinations;

Text 3

Read the texts about libraries and get ready for discussion.