Exercise 1. Read and translate the text

There are more than 40 universities in Britain, of which 36 are in England, 8 in Scotland, 2 in Northern Ireland and 1 in Wales. The two oldest universities in England are Oxford and Cambridge. Oxford is the oldest of those two universities. It is more philosophical, classical, and theological.

England had no other universities, apart from Oxford and Cambridge, until the 19-th century. The universities which were founded between 1850 and 1930 are known as redbrick universities (they were called so because that was the favourable building material of the time). They are in London, Durham, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Bristol, Nottingham, etc. The University of London is the largest of them. The division between Oxford and Redbrick is sharp. Redbrick universities were built to provide a liberal education for the poorer boys and to give technological training.

The universities which were founded after the Second World War are called “the new universities”. They are in Staffordshire, Kent, Essex, Lancaster, Sussex, and York. Some of them quickly became popular because of their modern approach to university courses.

All British Universities are private institutions. Every university is independent, autonomous and responsible only to its own governing council. The number and type of faculties differ from university to university. Each university decides each year how many students it supposes to admit. The admission to universities is by examination and selection (interview). The students receive grants. They have to pay fees and living costs but every student may receive from the local authority of the place where he lives a personal grant which is enough to pay lodging and food. Most students take job in the summer for about six weeks, but they do not normally do outside work during the academic session.

Students who pass examinations at the end of three or four years of study get Bachelor’s degree. The first postgraduate degree is normally that of Master conferred for a thesis based on at least one year’s fulltime work. Universities are centers of research and many postgraduates are engaged in research for higher degree, usually Doctorates.

One of the developments in education in Britain is certainly the Open University. It was founded in 1971. Some people don’t have an opportunity to study full-time, and the university allows them to study for degree. The university’s courses are taught through television, radio and course books. Its students work individually and with tutors, to whom they send their papers. The students discuss their work at meetings or through correspondence. The correspondence course, however, is the principal educational technique. Televised lectures and seminars merely supplement it. In summer they attend short courses.

Higher-educational institutions include not only universities and colleges but also various professional schools that provide preparation in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. Higher education also includes teacher-training schools, junior colleges, and institutes of technology. The basic entrance requirement for most higher-educational institutions is the completion of secondary education, and the usual entrance age is about 18 years.