Opportunities in the USA

Top 20 UK Rankings

From the same list published by THE in October 2008 the top 20 universities in the UK is as follows with their worldwide ranking in brackets:

1 - University of Cambridge - UK (3)
Cambridge University is the second oldest university in the English speaking world and was founded in 1209 and based in Cambridgeshire England. The university has 31 separate colleges.
2 - Oxford University- UK (4)
3 - Imperial College London - UK (6)
4 - UCL - University College London - UK (7)
5 - King's College London - UK (22)
6 - University of Edinburgh - UK (23)
7 - University of Manchester - UK (29)
8 - University of Bristol - UK (32)
9 - London School of Economics - UK (66)
10 - University of Warwick - UK (69)
11 - University of Glasgow - UK (73)
12 - University of Birmingham - UK (75)
13 - University of Sheffield - UK (76)
14 - University of York - UK (81=)
15 - University of St. Andrews - UK (83=)
16 - University of Nottingham - UK (86)
17 - University of Southampton - UK (99=)
18 - University of Leeds - UK (104)
19 - Durham University - UK (122)
20 - University of Sussex - UK (130)

Top 20 Universities in USA

Here are the current top 20 universities in the USA according to THE research from 2008 with their worldwide rankings in brackets.

1 - Harvard University - USA (1)
Harvard University is the oldest institute of higher learning in the USA and was founded in 1636. It's based in Cambridge Massachusetts and a member of the Ivy League.
2 - Yale University - USA (2)
3 - California Institute of Technology - USA (5)
4 - University of Chicago - USA (8)
5 - Massachusetts Institute of Technology - USA (9)
6 - Columbia University - USA (10)
7 - University of Pennsylvania - USA (11)
8 - Princetown University - USA (12)
9 - Duke University - USA (13=)
10 - Johns Hopkins University - USA (13=)
11 - Cornell University - USA (15)
12 - Stanford University - USA (17)
13 - University of Michigan - USA (18)
14 - Carnegie Mellon MELLON University - USA (21)
15 - Brown University - USA (27)
16 - University of California, Los Angeles - USA (30=)
17 - NorthwesternUniversity - USA (33)
18 - University of California, Berkeley - USA (36)
19 - New York University (NYU) - USA (40)
20 - Boston University - USA (46)

 

Education

TEXT 1

Warm-up: What do you know about the system of higher education in the USA?

Active vocabulary:

to abolish - отменять

alumnus (alumni) – бывший ученик

applicant -кандидат

to award a degree – присуждать степень

bachelor’s degree – степень бакалавра

comprehensive college - общеобразовательный колледж

to comprise – включать, содержать

computer-aided drafting – компьютерное изготовление чертежей

сurriculum – учебный план

full-time student – студент дневного обучения

liberal-arts college - общеобразовательный колледж

loan - кредит

a major – специализация, профильная дисциплина

the majority of - большинство

master’s degree – степень магистра

to obtain a degree -

to offer - предлагать

part-time student – студент-вечерник, студент-заочник

private –частный

proficiency – опытность, умение, сноровка

public –общественный

scholarship - стипендия

to take into consideration – принимать во внимание

undergraduate/graduate/post graduate degree programs – программы бакалавриата, магистратуры, аспирантуры

Read the text and answer the questions.

Higher Education in the USA.

Part I.

 

The American educational system offers about 3,300 higher educational institutions for more than 12 million students. This system comprises different types of institutions: four-year colleges, universities, community/junior colleges, technical institutes, and others. Any of these institutions may be public or private, depending on the source of its funding.

Four-year colleges award a bachelor’s degree at the completion of four years of full-time study. Four-year colleges may be liberal-arts colleges or specialized ones.

Liberal-arts colleges are undergraduate colleges, sometimes known as colleges of arts and sciences. The study of liberal arts is intended to develop general knowledge and reasoning ability as opposed to specific preparation for a career. Students at colleges of arts and sciences usually study letters/literature, philosophy, history, foreign languages, social sciences and natural sciences. Most liberal arts colleges are privately controlled.

They generally do not offer as many majors in technical and scientific disciplines as comprehensive colleges or universities. One of the best known liberal arts colleges is Dartmouth College.

Specialized colleges concentrate their offerings in one or two specific areas. They include agricultural/technical, art/music, Bible, business, engineering, health sciences, military and teachers’ colleges.

A University generally offers a broad range of both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Universities are generally larger than other types of institutions. They offer more majors and have more research faculties.

Thus, a university is usually a collection of several colleges (liberal arts and specialized colleges) that grant bachelor’s degrees. Besides, every university has one or more graduate schools for those continuing in specialized studies to obtain a master’s or doctoral degree. The master’s degree requires one or two years of studies beyond the bachelor’s degree. Frequently a thesis is required, or a final oral or written examination.

The doctorate is the highest academic degree. It requires a minimum of two years beyond the master’s degree, success in a qualifying examination, proficiency in one or two foreign languages and or in a research tool (such as statistics) and completion of a doctoral dissertation.

The oldest and the most famous universities in the USA are: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Stanford University (the so-called ‘Ivies’).

Community or junior colleges are two-year colleges that award associate degrees. The majority of them is public and has open admissions policies. 40% of all American students study in junior colleges.

Upper-division colleges offer the last two years of undergraduate study, usually in specialized programs leading to the bachelor’s degree. Students generally transfer to upper-division colleges after completing an associate degree, or after finishing their second year of study at a four-year college.

Technical Institutes award mostly the Associate of Applied Science degree. They provide such courses as: computer-aided drafting, electrical and electronics equipment repair, electronic technology, drafting and design technology, etc.

 

Part 2.

 

Most colleges and universities admissions requirements include:

1. Application fee (Most colleges charge an application fee/$ 10-50/, usually not refundable even if the application is rejected. Many colleges will waive this fee for applicants from low-income families);

2. Application form (There is no ideal number of applications for every student. A good rule of thumb is to file as many applications as one needs);

3. Transcript of the courses taken in high school;

4. Test scores;

5. One or more letters of recommendation from a school teacher, counselor or alumnus;

6. Essay or autobiographical statement, including major extra-curricular activities, hobbies, special awards, educational or career goals and reasons for the choice of this particular institution;

7. Personal interview.

8. As for tests, applicants in the USA usually submit their scores in one or two standardized admissions tests. They are the SAT I –Reasoning Test, the SAT II – Subject Tests and the ACT. These tests are the College Board Tests given on specialized dates throughout the year at test centers in the United States and other countries.

The SAT (Scholasticl Aptitude Test) I: Reasoning test is a three-hour test which has a verbal and math section.

The SAT I is usually preceded by the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test). The PSAT is a shorter version of the SAT I: reasoning test administered in high school every year in October.

The SAT I may be taken up to three times in the 11^th and 12^th grades to get better scores. Only SAT I with the best scores is sent to universities.

The SAT II: Subject tests are one hour subject-specific exams designed to find out how well an applicant has mastered a variety of high school subjects. The tests do not depend on any particular curriculum, but reflect the expected outcome of a typical high school course.

The Act (American College Testing Program Assessment) is a testwhich includes sections in English, mathematics, reading and science reasoning.

Part 3.

The cost of going to college includes direct educational costs (tuition and fees, books and supplies) and living costs (room and board and other expenses).

Tuition and fees for the students of private universities are about $ 15,000-19,000 per year (can go up to $30,000 per year). Tuition and fees for the students of public universities are much lower, about $ 3,000 – 5,000 per year (can go up to 10, 000 per year). Most universities charge a nominal tuition and fees to students from the same state and a much higher tuition and fees for the out-of-district and out-of-state students.

Many students receive financial aid to help them get their education grants, scholarships, jobs and loans. Loans usually have low interest rates and must be repaid, but generally only after the graduation.

 

Part 4.

The academic year usually begins in September and ends in July. Students are classified as freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. A freshman is a first-year student, a sophomore – a second year student, a junior – a third year student and a senior is a fourth-year student. Those who study in graduate schools are called graduate students.

During one semester a student studies from 4 to 7 subjects. The first two years of study in most American colleges are devoted to general education. After 2 years of study students select their ‘ major ’ (the field in which they want their degree), plus a number of ‘ electives ’.

Typically a student has to earn 30 credits per year (e.g. 1 subject is equal to 5 credits if it meets five times a week) or 120 credits in order to receive a bachelor’s degree at the end of four years of college. Besides, a ‘major’ is taken into consideration (e.g. if a student is majoring in history, he has to earn 50 credits in history subjects to get a Bachelor of Arts).                                                                                                                                                        

 

1. What types of higher educational establishments are there in the USA?

2. Are the rules for applicants in the USA and Russia the same?

3. Can you give a definition of the word major?What is your major?

 

Opportunities in the USA

Here are the specific Fulbright competitions. Which one fits you best? Each program has links to its own details, rules, forms, and frequently asked questions.

Fulbright Graduate Students Program–Магистерская/аспирантская программа Фулбрайта. The program is for graduate students; grants include studies in master’s programs (up to 2 years of study) or post-graduate study (1 academic year) in the USA. Applicants should be under 30.

Fulbright Faculty Development Program (FFDP–Программа стажировки для преподавателей вузов и работников науки и культуры). This program is for faculty, and for staff of museums and libraries. It lasts 1 academic year. Applicants should be under 40.

Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program–Программа обмена учёными. This program is for scholars who have kandidatskaya degree in Russia or higher academic level (doctorate and over). No age limitations. Grants last from 3 to 9 months.

Russia International Education Administrators (RIEA–Программа для сотрудников международных отделов). This program is especially for International departments staff and information materials are being sent directly to these departments.

Foreign Language Teacher Assistant FLTA–Программа для преподавателей английского. The program is for current English teachers or for students who are graduating in the current year from universities with a diploma in teaching English. Applicants should be under 29.

www.fulbright.ru

 

http://www.britishcouncil.org

Throughout the world, the creative and cultural sector is growing in complexity and importance. The sector has a unique and vital socio-economic role to play in rapidly-changing and unstable times, and it is crucial that its future leaders develop ideas, skills and networks to drive the sector forward and ensure its relevance to the changing societies around it. In our interdependent world, international dialogue and knowledge exchange will give them vital access to international opportunities and networks where they can share solutions, learn from successful models, and develop partnerships and common platforms to tackle similar challenges.

What is Cultural Leadership International?

Cultural Leadership International is a programme of activities which facilitate leadership networking and exchange in the broader cultural and creative industries. The programme focuses on supporting a new generation of cultural leaders to:

• Understand the political, social, and economic power of culture, and develop the leadership tools which will enable them to influence their societies in key areas such as social inclusion and cultural rights’ development, cultural policy formulation, economic regeneration, conflict resolution, employment creation, etc.
• Act internationally in their work: i.e. exchange knowledge and ideas with a global network of individuals and organisations beyond their usual sphere of operation.
• Better understand the challenges affecting the cultural sector globally – i.e. the irruption of digital technology, the realisation and measurement of culture’s economic importance, the changes in state subsidy funding models, the impact of globalisation in local cultures, etc.
• Encourage flexibility of thought and action to adapt to these new challenges and encourage the understanding of other contexts and experiences through intercultural dialogue.
• Strengthen the influence and position of the cultural sector cross-sectorally and globally as a key social agent.
• Develop an active, international network of future cultural leaders who will utilise the skills, ideas and experiences gained in the programme to influence their societies in key areas, including cultural policy-making, economic development and social cohesion.

For 2011 Cultural Leadership International programme will have participants from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, South Africa, UAE, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine.

What does the programme involve?

The programme for 2011 will involve the following components:

1. Leadership Development Workshop

Once selected, all participants will be invited to take part in a 4-day Leadership Development Workshop in Istanbul from 24-27 October 2011 (during the Istanbul Biennale). This is the starting point of the programme, and involves training sessions on leadership skills and networking opportunities with the other participants.

2. Professional Development Plan

Participants will be asked to work on a Professional Development Plan, identifying their professional needs and goals and coming up with a plan to achieve these based on UK opportunities being offered by the British Council. These opportunities will take the form of courses, placements, mentorship schemes, etc. The Plan needs to be approved before 31 December 2011 and implemented between then and the end of December 2012.

Participants will receive a grant of £3,000 to implement their plan as well as support from the British Council in identifying suitable opportunities in the UK.

How do I apply?

The application process for Russia will run from 11 July – 5 September 2011. Successful applications will be short-listed for an interview during the period 5 September – 19 September 2011, and the list of selected participants will be announced later that month.

If you would like to take part in the programme, please, read the programme Guidance Notes, complete the application form and send it to Evgenia Gerasimova at evgenia.gerasimova@britishcouncil.ru by 5 September 2011.

• Guidance notes for applicants
• Applications form
• Some profiles of previous years participants

Cultural Leadership International programme is organised in close partnership with Open Society Institute (OSI).

 

1-ICAUD

Welcome to 1-ICAUD

On behalf of Epoka University and the Polytechnic University of Tirana, we are pleased to invite you to attend the First International Conference on Architecture and Urban Design, which will be held at Epoka University in Tirana, Albania on April 19-21, 2012. We expect an international audience of about 150 persons, including academics, practicing architects, urban designers, and planners.

Over the past twenty years, Tirana, the capital of Albania, has evolved into a dense, compact, and vibrant city of almost one million people, full of shops, cafes, restaurants, music, colorful buildings, and street life. At the same time, it is choked with automobile traffic, its older façades are crumbling down, and the traditional housing stock is being eroded to make room for condominium buildings. Sustainable construction technologies are in their infancy. High-tech high-rise architecture is juxtaposed with small scale informal additions to communist-era housing units and pre-communist oriental and Western neoclassic homes. While there is much private wealth in the country, the public sector has limited resources. This set of circumstances makes Tirana a very interesting laboratory for architects and urban designers & planners, and an enjoyable place to visit.

We appreciate your interest in 1-ICAUD and look forward to seeing you at Epoka University.

1-ICAUD Organizing Committee
Department of Architecture, Epoka University
Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Polytechnic University of Tirana

Email us: icaud@epoka.edu.al
Web: http://www.icaud.epoka.edu.al

Epoka University
Address: Autostrada Tirane-Rinas, Km 12, Tirana, Albania
Tel.: +355 42 232 086 / +355 42 222 077
Fax.: +355 42 222 117
Email: info@epoka.edu.al
Web: www.epoka.edu.al

Polytechnic University of Tirana
Civil Engineering Faculty, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning
Address: Rr. M. Gjollesha, nr. 54, Tirana, Albania
Tel.Fax: + 355 4 2240504
Email (Provost): thanaspoci@yahoo.com
Web: www.upt.al