Nowadays, educational leaders and scholars in Russia look at how they can further understand civil society through education because the role of creating a "new citizen" and a "new Society" is mainly the responsibility of universities and other educational institutions. Without greater knowledge and understanding of the rights and obligations within a democratic society, the country cannot expect its citizenry to embrace democratic norms. And higher education institutions are the main means to convey this knowledge. Higher education in Russia is provided by public and private higher education institutions. Education in public higher education institutions is free of charge. The Russian government guarantees open and free access to higher education on a competitive basis. The government of the Russian Federation has stipulated three levels of study:
Level I generally takes 2 years to study for a Bachelor degree. This level concentrates on compulsory fundamental courses in the given disciplines. Students holding a Level I qualification may either continue their studies or, if they choose to, leave the institution with an intermediate diploma.
Level II marks the continuation of studies for an additional two years leading to a d Bachelor degree. Consequently, this first academic degree entails four years of study.
Level III represents an educational level common to both the Master Diploma and the Specialist's Diploma.
There are two levels of doctoral scientific degrees: Kandidat Nauk Degree (the first level) and Doktor Nauk Degree (the second, highest level).
University Level Studies
The first stage of university level studies consists of at least two years of a higher education study programme. If students leave a university they may ask to obtain the Diploma of Incomplete Higher Education which entitles them to obtain jobs that require some higher education training but not a degree and to continue their studies on the basis of at least two years of training.
The second stage (Bachelor's degree programmes) lasts for at least 4 years of full-time university level study. The programmes are elaborated in accordance with the State Educational Standards which regulate almost 80% of their content. The other 20% are elaborated by the university itself. The programmes include professional and special courses in science, the Humanities and social-economic disciplines, professional training, completion of final research paper/project and sitting for State Final Exams. Having obtained the Bachelor's degree, students may apply to enter the Master's programme or continue their studies in the framework of the Specialist's Diploma programmes. The Bachelor's degree is awarded in all fields except Medicine after defending a Diploma project prepared under the guidance of a supervisor and sitting for final exams. In Medicine, the first stage lasts for six years.
At the third level holders of the Bachelors degree are admitted to enter the Specialist Diploma and Master's degree programmes. Access to these programmes is competitive. The Master's degree is awarded after successful completion of two years' full-time study. Students must carry out a year of research including practice, prepare and defend a thesis which constitutes an original contribution, then sit for final examinations. The Specialist Diploma can be earned in two ways: upon completion of at least one year's study after the Bachelor's degree programme or upon completion of five to six years' continuous study after the secondary school. The Specialist Diploma is a professional qualification that gives the right to exercise professional activities in the field and to apply for doctoral programmes.
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The fourth stage consists of two doctoral scientific degree programmes. The initial program is called Aspirantura. The access to Aspirantura is competitive. Applicants must hold a Specialist Diploma or a Master's degree. Studies last for 3 years. The Aspirantura prepares for research and professorial activities. Students must learn teaching methods and pass qualifying exams. They carry out independent research, prepare and defend a dissertation in public. They are then awarded the scientific degree of Kandidat Nauk. The Doctor Nauk programme is specific and its duration is not fixed. It follows the Kandidat Nauk and is awarded after preparation and public defence of a dissertation. It does not always have an equivalent in other countries.
Special attention in Russia is paid to the training of teachers for different kinds of schools. Training of pre-primary and primary/basic school teachers is carried out by non-university level educational institutions. The duration of the course is two to four-and-a-half years. Some teacher training institutions of university level train teachers for primary schools as well. The course lasts for five years. Graduates of these two types of educational institutions may exercise the profession right after graduation. Training of secondary school teachers is carried out in teacher training university-level institutions. The programme lasts for at least five years. Graduates may enter the profession. University teachers must have additional post-graduate training. A scientific degree (Kandidat Nauk at least) is compulsory to obtain a lecturer's position in higher education institutions.
Without radical changes to the system of higher education together with increased funding for education, all the reforms in education will miss their target and have no real influence on how young people are educated in Russia. Education reform is an especially difficult area, before you can reform education, you have to reeducate the educators.
The top ten of Russian higher education institutions includes: 1. Lomonsov Moscow State University 2. St. Petersburg State University 3. Moscow State Physics-Technical Institute 4. Russian University for the Friendship of Peoples (Moscow) 5. Tomsk State University 6. Nizhniy Novgorod State University 7. Kazan State University 8. Moscow State Institute for Engineering and Physics 9. Rostov State University 10. Moscow State Linguistic University.
1. What does the society expect from the institutions of higher education?
2. How would you explain to a foreign student the procedure of entering the Russian university?
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3. How is the academic process organized?
VIII. Study the information about the British higher education institutions:
British Universities
There are 46 universities in Britain. The oldest and best-known universities are located in Oxford, Cambridge, London, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Southampton, Cardiff, Bristol, Birmingham. British universities differ greatly from each other. They differ in date of foundation, size, history, tradition, general organization, methods of instruction, way of student life.
The two intellectual eyes of Britain Oxford and Cambridge universities date back to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The Scottish universities of St. Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh date back to the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
In the 19th and the early part of the 20th centuries the so-called Redbrick universities were founded. These include London, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, and Birmingham. During the late sixties and the early seventies of the 20th century some 20 "new" universities were set up. Sometimes they are called "concrete and glass" universities. Among them are the universities of Sussex, York, East Anglia and some others.
Good "A" Level results in at least two subjects are necessary to get a place at a university. However, good exam passes alone are not enough. Universities choose their students after interviews, and competition for places at university is fierce. For all British citizens a place at university brings with it a grant from their Local Education authority. The grants cover tuition fees and some of the living expenses. The amount depends on the parents' income. If the parents do not earn much money, their children will receive a full grant which will cover all their expenses.
There is an interesting form of studies which is called the Open University. It is intended for people who study in their own free time and who "attend" lectures by watching television and listening to the radio. They keep in touch by phone and letter with their tutors and attend summer schools. The Open University students have no formal qualifications and would be unable to enter ordinary universities.
The academic year in Britains universities is divided into three terms, which usually run from the beginning of October to the middle of December, from the middle of January to the end of March, and from the middle of April to the end of June or the beginning of July.
After three years of study a university graduate will leave with the Degree of Bachelor of Arts, Science, Engineering, Medicine, etc. Later he may continue to take the Master's Degree and then the Doctor's Degree. Research is an important feature of university work.
IX. Render in English using the vocabulary means from the previous texts. After it, comment on the text comparing the overview of the British educational system with the systems described above:
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UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admission Service). ( ) . , .. , , (A-level), , ; (personal statement) ( 6), . .
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X. Read the description of the top group of American universities and compose a set of questions covering the major points of the text:
The Ivy League
The Ivy League is an association of eight American universities, named for the ivy plants traditionally covering their older buildings. The term Ivy League has connotations of academic excellence as well as a certain amount of elitism. These schools are also sometimes affectionately referred to as the Ancient Eight. All of the Ivy League universities share some general characteristics: they are among the most prestigious and selective universities in the U.S.; they consistently place close to the top of college and university rankings; they rank within the top one percent of the world's universities in terms of financial endowment; they attract top-tier students and faculty (although many undergraduate classes are taught by people other than the distinguished faculty, such as graduate students); and they have relatively small undergraduate populations, ranging between 4,100 for Dartmouth and 13,700 for Cornell.
The Ivies are also all located in the Northeast region of the United States and are among the oldest universities in the countryall but Cornell University were founded during America's colonial era. The Ivy League universities are privately owned and controlled, with the exception of Cornell, which has both private and public components. Although many of them receive funding from the federal or state governments to pursue research, only Cornell has state-supported academic units, termed statutory colleges, that are an integral part of the university.
The members of the Ivy League are, in alphabetical order:
Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island, founded 1764 as Rhode Island College
Columbia University, in New York City, New York, founded 1754 as King's College
Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, founded 1865
Dartmouth College, in Hanover, New Hampshire, founded 1769
Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, founded 1636 as the New College
University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded 1749 as the Academy of Philadelphia
Princeton University, in Princeton, New Jersey, founded in 1746 as the College of New Jersey
Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut, founded 1701 as the Collegiate School
The term Ivy League was first coined informally to refer to these institutions of higher education, who compete in both scholastics and sports. The term Ivy League refers strictly to the original eight schools. However, the term "Ivy Plus" is sometimes used to refer to the eight plus several other schools for purposes of alumni associations and university affiliations. The inclusion of non-Ivy League schools under this term is not highly consistent across uses. Among these other schools, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University are almost always included. The University of Chicago and Duke University are often included as well.
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All Ivy League schools are currently known for their highly selective undergraduate programs. Many of the universities are well known for their top-rate graduate and professional programs. Although the Ivy League is usually regarded as a cohesive group from the outside, there is a considerable amount of internal academic rivalry and competition among its eight members. In particular, students at Harvard University, Yale University, and Princeton University have been known to claim that they are in a league of their own (sometimes called HYP). This sentiment is based on the fact that these three schools, unlike the other five in the Ivy League, are the only ones whose nationwide rankings have consistently been at the top. Even among these three elite universities, there is a heated competition for students.
XI. Choose one of the Ivy League or Ivy-Plus universities and prepare a detailed presentation on its location, history, students population, curriculum, etc. The following text, though describing one of the British universities, can serve as an example:
University of Surrey
by Tony Dawe
Finishing fifteenth in a league table might seem unimpressive, but when there are 52 teams in the league and you are top of your class the achievement becomes more remarkable. Surrey University can be proud, therefore, of gaining fifteenth place in The Times Good University Guide,; position which makes it the highest-rated technological institution, above many long-established universities.
Its excellent graduate employment rate, high level of postgraduates and plentiful student accommodation all contributed to the university's highest-ever ranking. It can, however, make several other claims which might surprise first-year sixth-formers now considering where to apply for a place in higher education.
Surrey's links with industry, schools and colleges are so strong that 20,000 people are on courses, in addition to the 7,000 full-time students. The university awards 30,000 degrees every year, making it the third largest validating institution in Britain after the Open University and the University of Wales. Its determination, in the face of government cutbacks, to seek alternative funding has been so successful that 60 per cent of its finances come from its own enterprises, including research grants, contracts with industry and profits from wholly-owned subsidiary companies, including the Surrey Research Park, one of only two in the UK owned and managed by a university.
Created in 1966 out of the former Battersea Polytechnic Institute, and based at Guildford only 30 miles from London and its famous colleges, Surrey played a Cinderella role for years but now has "a very exciting future" according to Professor Dowling. Professor Dowling left his post as head of civil engineering at Imperial College, London, to take over as Surrey's Vice-Chancellor last October and "feels at home with the university's strong engineering faculty." He points out, however, the variety of courses available: "Most people still think of this as a university of science and engineering, but the department of humanities is better than many. It has inherited the vocational drive of the science technology departments which we assumed from the technology college.
"We are strong in linguistics and international studies; our sociology department is one of the best in the country and we have a distinguished department of psychology which has been working closely with the police service on the motivation of serial killers. The performing arts department might be small but is of a high standard, and its work gives the local community an insight into the quality of the university." The Good University Guide reports that Surrey's priorities are work experience and language competence. All students are encouraged to enrol for a course at the new European language centre and new engineering degrees have a language component.
Most degrees last four years with one or two half-years in work placements, often abroad. With more than 1,000 workstations, the use of computers is also common to all Surrey's courses. With 20,000 continuing education students at the university, the Vice-Chancellor is committed to working closely with schools and colleges in the county. "Further education colleges provide foundation courses for us, and it is important to discover how we can add value to one another," he said. "We might be a research-rich university trying to pursue excellence in teaching and research, but we recognize the need to encourage variety."
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His major academic ambition at Surrey is to create an institute of health and medical sciences and develop it into a leading faculty embracing all the health professions within the next ten years, with a postgraduate research school attached to it.
Surrey already has a variety of expertise in fields such as medical imaging and biomechanics, and strong psychology and nursing departments. The next step is to establish links with regional health authorities and local hospitals to encourage more nursing graduates and the continuing education of general practitioners.
In the short term, the university is seeking planning permission for a further education building on the campus to provide bigger lecture theatres and additional language laboratories and computer facilities.
XII. Great Britain is proud of its famous universities nicknamed Oxbridge. Read the following text and find out the reasons for this exceptional pride:
Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest and the most prestigious universities in Great Britain. They are often called collectively Oxbridge to denote an elitarian education. Both universities are independent. The tutorial is the basic mode of instruction at Oxford and Cambridge, with lectures as optional extras.
The normal length of the degree course is three years, after which the students take the Degree of Bachelor of Arts (B. A.). Some courses, such as languages or medicine, may be one or two years longer. The students may work for other degrees as well. The degrees are awarded at public degree ceremonies. Oxford and Cambridge cling to their traditions, such as the use of Latin at degree ceremonies. Full academic dress is worn at examinations.
Oxford and Cambridge universities consist of a number of colleges. Each college is different, but in many ways they are alike. Each college has its name, its coat of arms. Each college is governed by a Master. The large ones have more than 400 members; the smallest colleges have less than 30. Each college offers teaching in a wide range of subjects. Within the college one will normally find a chapel, a dining hall, a library, rooms for undergraduates, fellows and the Master, and also rooms for teaching purposes.
Oxford is one of the oldest universities in Europe. It is the second largest in Britain, after London. The town of Oxford is first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 911 A.D. and it was popular with the early English kings (Richard Coeur de Lion, or Lion Hearted was probably here). The university's earliest charter is dated back to 1213. There are now twenty-four colleges for men, five for women and another five which have both men and women members, many from overseas studying for higher degrees. Among the oldest colleges are University College (founded in 1249), All Souls (founded in 1438) and Christ Church (founded in 1525).
The Cambridge University started during the 13th century and grew until today. Now there are more than twenty colleges. On the river bank of the Cam willow trees weep their branches into the water. The colleges line the right bank. There are beautiful college gardens with green lawns and lines of tall trees. The oldest college is Peterhouse, which was founded in 1284, and the most recent is Robinson College, which was opened in 1977. The most famous is probably King's College (founded in 1441) because of its magnificent chapel, the largest and the most beautiful building in Cambridge and the most perfect example left of English fifteenth-century architecture.
The University was only for men until 1871, when the first women's college was opened. In the 1970s, most colleges opened their doors to both men and women. Almost all colleges are now mixed. Many great men studied at Cambridge, among them Desiderius Erasmus, the great Dutch scholar, Roger Bacon, the philosopher, Milton, the poet, Oliver Cromwell, the soldier, Newton, the scientist, and Kapitza, the famous Russian physicist.
The universities have over a hundred societies and clubs, enough for every interst one could imagine. Sport is part of students life at Oxbridge. The most popular sports are rowing and punting.
XIII. Render the text about one other most famous Russian universities:
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Reading tasks
I. The years at college are considered to be the best and most exciting in human life. Very often people met during this period become best friends, ideas acquired during university years form the basis of persons attitude to life. Read about the form of organizing students life in the United States:
