N9-Higher_Education_in_the_United_Kingdom

9. Higher Education in the United Kingdom

Compulsory school leaving age is 16. At the age of 16 children in the UK have the following options:

1. go to work;

2. go to the 6^th Form or to the 6^th Form College which is considered to be an intermediate stage between the compulsory studying and higher education. At the end of the 6^th Form children will sit the GCSE A-level or AS-level exam;

3. the following option is to go the Colleges of Further Education where you can get some vocational training (hairdressing, typing, etc.);

4. the youth opportunities schemes, this scheme places young unemployed people with a business or an industry for 6 months so they can get experience.

At the age 18 or 19 young people can enter the establishments or Higher Education leading to a degree or the establishments of Further Education which not award a degree.

High Education in Great Britain is provided by universities, polytechnics and colleges of High Education.

Universities fall into four broad categories: the ancient English foundations, the ancient Scottish one, the “redbrick” universities and the “plate glass” one.

To the ancient English foundations refer Oxford and Cambridge Universities founded in the 13^th and 14^th centuries, which are considered to be the most famous and prestigious. Both universities grew gradually as federations of independent colleges. Attendance at lectures in Oxford and Cambridge is not obligatory. The basis of tuition is the tutorial.

The ancient Scottish foundations are Glasgow, Edinburgh, St. Andrew and Aberdeen Universities, founded in 15^th and 16^th centuries. They have strong links with European Universities, provide four-year graduated course, compared with the usual three-year course in England and Wales.

“Redbrick” or “civic” universities were established as a result of the Industrial Revolution and the expansion of Britain’s empire overseas because the demand for the educated people greatly increased. They were sited in the industrial centers (Birmingham, Manchester). They were based more on the mass lecture system. The most famous one is London University.

With the expansion of the High Education in the 1960s many more “plate glass” Universities were established. After some initial enthusiasm for these universities they had become less popular than the older institutions.

Open University provides every person in the UK with the opportunity to study for a degree without leaving their homes.

Polytechnics provide a range of High Education courses. But their real purpose is to fill the gap between the University and Further Education. They combine academic studies which is the characteristic feature of the High Education and technical studies focused on practical work, a feature of Further Education, Colleges of High Education.

Further Education establishments fall into:

• lower level courses: Colleges of Further Education and Technical Colleges;

• middle level courses: Colleges of Technology, Specialized Colleges (agricultural, printing).

One more type is “Tertiary College”. It is amalgamation in one establishment both technical and academic areas (amalgamation of the 6^th Form and technical college).

Characteristic of features of the higher education system of the UK:

1. “sandwich” course is the period of academic studies which is interrupted by a period of practical study:

• gives you a better idea of what you are going to do;

• from economic point of view courses are longer, more tire some and you pay more.

2. tutorials rather than mass lecture system.