The New (Glass) universities

Sussex, Keele, Warwick, Kent, York

the Technological Universities

the University of Aston, Bath University of Technology

Heriot-Watt University, the University of Bradford

the University of Surrey

the Former Polytechnics:

Bournemouth University

the University of Greenwich

Staffordshire University

the University of Westminster, the University of Central England in Birmingham

the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA)

exclusivity

excellence

formal entry requirements

admission to undergraduate courses

the credit system

short residential schools

home experiment kits

in-service training

updating courses for managers, scientists and technologists

courses of community education

the University of Buckingham

ex.2a, p.17

an opportune moment

an undergraduate degree

distinctive qualifications

dramatic expansion

to pull ahead

a mature entrant

significant minority

to total

a mass-transit economy model

to reveal starkly

to pay smth towards tuition costs

a crowded lecture theatre

to enhance one’s job prospects and earning capacity

a non-graduate

the preserve of the sons and daughters of the middle class

the Foundation Degree

‘top-up fees’ (market-rate fees)

degree course

an employment pattern

to invest in a degree

ex.3a, p.19

a unique innovation

a degree-granting institution

availability of teachers

conventional

a school-leaver

a career prospect

self-satisfaction and achievement

a significant career benefit

to claim

in terms of

added confidence

intellectual stimulation

the flexibility of studying full-time or part-time

an appropriate named institution

A-levels

O-levels

to run a distance-learning degree course

a postgraduate course

a modular course

an open access policy

to obtain a degree

to obtain a pass (a credit)

to pursue a subject

a part-time tutor

a residential summer school

a reply-paid coupon

easy payment method

advanced teaching methods

ex.3c, p.21

an academic education

vocational (non-vocational) education

the local educational authorities

a college of commerce

tutorial colleges

crammers

a privately run establishment

O or A-level exams

to govern a college

to design a course

a fellow

a don

living quarters

a chapel

B TEC (the Business and Technology Education Council)

HND (Higher National Diploma)

ex.5, p.23

university ranking

to be knocked off the top of the league

leadership

to take over

a table of aggregated scores

student facilities

a scoring system

the mix of subjects

by a fraction of a point

to challenge supremacy

margin

to give smth the edge

a science-dominated university

a university league table

to award firsts

a “benchmarking” group of subjects

a performance indicator

the lowest scores

the Higher Education Statistics Agency

to overturn Cambridge’s lead

academics rated internationally outstanding

to benefit from high spending on smth

a drop-out

a drop-out rate

to overtake lawyer-established market leaders

to ship five places down the table

to be confined to the bottom half of ranking
entry qualifications

open-entry policies

to place the university at an advantage (a disadvantage)

Unit 3

to apply to the university

applicant

application form

UCAS – the Universities and Colleges Admission System

full-time undergraduate

course and institutional codes

a standard black typeface

to defer an entry/ a deferred box

to list in order of preference

Route A/B course

academic year

university entry

to sell oneself

in one’s personal statement

out-of-school activities

references

a referee

to forward an application to

completed and stamped acknowledgement card/letter

fee

to quote one’s application number

the university admission board

to be admitted to a university

performance in the exams for the General Certificate of Education at Ordinary & Advanced levels

the selection procedure

to send a refusal/ a definite rejection/ a definite offer/ a conditional offer

to assess

to fulfill the requirements

to accept the offer (conditionally)

through the Clearing system

a mad scramble for a handful of places

a last-ditch option

suitable higher education vacancies

eligible for Clearing

automatically

an information booklet

a careers adviser/advisor

to have access to info

to withdraw from the scheme

the equivalent

time is of the essence

computer facilities available

type of accommodation

ex.7a, p.31

to back plans

to introduce a post-qualification application system

the overhaul of university application

to conduct a review of admissions

to scrap applications made on predicted grades

to outline reforms

to predict/achieve grades

to apply for the most competitive courses

to allocate all the places in one go

to guarantee

to have entrance based on actual grades not predicted

instant decision-making

“first come – first serve” system

to implement a system

to compromise

a robust and reliable system

deep-seated opposition

to shift the term dates

to jeopardize the lucrative take-up

overseas students

to opt

to adopt online marking methods

Shadow minister

to be prejudiced against

ex.8, p.33

in a desperate bid

to ignore minimum requirements

with a view to transferring onto a degree course

to entail completing an entire year before moving on

concentrations on subject

to take failures/ failed A-level students

to attend the interview and supply school references

director of educational liaison and student recruitment

oversight

extra government funds

statutory-minimum requirements

underqualified entrants

to call into question the standard of degree

ex.9, p.35

alleged elitist bias

to be unfairly vilified for admissions practices

to fill the quota twice over

to be baffled, astonished, outraged at the rejection

a tough lesson

as detractors profess to think

to obliterate

a huge disproportion

to preoccupy (about a topic) the common rooms

to anguish over smth

to abolish sit-down entrance examinations

to get rid of entrance scholarships

missionary work at state schools

access schemes for underprivileged groups

topping-up courses

intense wooing effort

small but relevant tests

customer-friendly requirements

discriminations not discrimination

to take perceived advantages & disadvantages into account

poshocratic

to be inundated with requests

gross, misleading, ignorant prejudice

ex.11a, p.38

the rate of tuition fee

to change up

to come into force (changes to student finance arrangements)

to repay the loan/ to make repayments on the loan

to owe

under the current scheme

to pay the maximum contributions

to set different levels of fees

to tackle the budget shortfalls

to pay for expansion

an annual increase in funding

to pay fees upfront

to defer payment

“a fee loan”

the Student Loan Company

to be paid upon graduation

to be capped at 3000 pounds

to pay variable fees

to affect students

a Gap Year

the standard fee

the new Office for Fair Access (OFFA)

maintenance grant

bursary

from affluent families

an Access Regulator

grant and maintenance loans for living costs (full or partial)

income-assessed

non-repayable

to make a contribution towards the tuition fee

loan write-off

balance

Ex. 12 a, p.40

to endow scholarships

merit/need-based scholarships

to bestow money upon someone

subjective evaluation process

the best qualified candidates

elusive category

Unit 4

Ex.2a p.45

to outnumber by four to one

discrepancy

the Chancellor

the titular head

purely ceremonial function, notably in conferring degrees

the Pro chancellor

a deputy to the chancellor

on ceremonial occasions

have a substantial role

chair of the council of a university

the Vice chancellor (VC)

the chief academic and administrative officer

to stand in for

a part-time/ full-time appointment

the Principal

to chair committees

the Rector

a communist trade union leader

a television personality

to preside over the courts’ proceedings

master

a dean

the Professor

an established/personal chair

to confer a post on a particular individual

for distinguished scholarship, research and published work

in rotation

a reader

for merit in scholarship, research and published work

sharp division of duties

a senior lecturer / grade I, II

teaching fellow

tutorial assistant

to be held on a tenured basis

research fellow/officer

research associates/ assistants

hierarchy of posts

ratio

ex. 4a. p.49

to adapt to current styles of teaching and learning

the formal presentation

to interact

to interrupt

feedback

the focus of the lecture

to provide an overview of a subject

to attend compulsory classes

to tackle an issue

a session

a seminar paper

to collaborate

to produce a joint piece of work

to carry out experiments and test hypotheses

to assess

modular courses

to have the flexibility

IELTS – International English Language System

TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language

bridging year courses

to accommodate student learning styles

to be of benefit to smb

alumna (pl. –nae [ni:])

alumnus (pl. – i [nai]

Unit 5

ex. 2 a, p. 55

a well-developed oral speech skill

the practicals

the sessionals/midsessionals

ex. 7a p. 60

approved and underwritten

Bachelor’s / Master’s degrees/qualifications

to indicate the content of a course

sandwich degrees

taught/research degrees

to submit a thesis based on original research

uniformity in terminology

regardless of the subject

higher doctorates

distinguished contribution to an academic field