1. British and American Universities Compared:
pursuit of knowledge; selective intake; polytechnics;
sources of funding; student’s aid
British and American universities are similar in their pursuit of knowledge as a goal but are quite different in their organization and operation.
To begin with American Universities are larger than British ones. American universities combine a number of different colleges and professional schools, sometimes with 20.000 to 25.000 students, while English universities are relatively small because of their selective intake.
The teaching staff of an American university is called the faculty. Full-time faculty consists of professors and instructors. The rank of associate professors and assistant professors corresponds to British rank of readers or senior lecturers.
In England, teacher training colleges and polytechnics are alternatives to the university course for some students, in contrast, virtually all schools of education and business studies, are integral parts of universities in the USA.
Besides, while in England universities receive about 70 % of their financial support through Parliamentary grants, in the United States public institutions receive about 75 % of their funds from local, state and federal sources, but private institutions receive little or no government support.
And finally, in England, personal students’ financial aid is provided by the government, unlike in the USA students’ aid is administrated by the university and is provided by private organizations and the state federal government.
Obviously British and American universities have similar educational aims but different means of achieving these aims.
virtually - фактически, практически, в сущности; поистине.
integral - неотъемлемый; существенный.
besides - кроме того, свер'. того, более того.
grant - грант; дотация; стипендия...