AStudyofthemodernScottishHigherEducationBasedontheCaseofUniversityofSt.Andrews

王佳妮

1.Introduction

The Scottish higher educational system is one of the oldest in the world，and it is now still changing.The status of higher education now in the Scotland is the product of the generations of the thoughtful reflection，experimentation and evaluation.Therefore，it is not so much different in quality and reputation compared with England，Welsh and Northern Ireland. Scotlands universities are at the forefront of teaching and research play a key role in the economic，social and cultural development of the country.Scottish Universities have full control over their degree system.While inspectors from education authorities evaluate the standard subjects taught，the results and actual creation of the exams are left up to the university.And，of course，Prince William has chosen one of Scotlands oldest universities，St Andrews，to complete his education.

2.The modern University of St.Andrews

A Royal Commission on the universities of Scotland investigated the University of St.Andrews from 1826 to 1830，and recommended radical alterations in the constitution of the university.The recommendations were eventually incarnated in the 1858 Act.According to the Act，the colleges reserved their constitution and financial autonomy.And the Senatus Academicus，which was the supreme academic body of a university，presided over by the Principal，continually controlled the course of study，examinations and disciplines. Besides，the Act created a University Court with extensive power of supervision over the older bodies.In addition to the University Court，the Act of 1858 introduced a General Council composed mainly of graduates of the University who have the right to elect the Chancellor.

By the Universities Act of 1889 in Scotland，there was a further emphasis on the dominated status of the University Court，especially in the academic constitution.At the crucial time of the reform of higher education in Scotland，the Berry Bequest provided much-needed security of finances for the University of St.Andrews.Part of the Berry Bequest was used to establish the Berry Chair of English Literature in the United College.It really proved a most timely gift to help the smooth reformation of the university.After this Act was promulgated，the university lecturers and assistants were to supplement the instruction hitherto conducted entirely by the professors.Under the 1889 Act，another huge progress of the University of St.Andrews was an agreement to matriculate women students.Twenty women signed the matriculation register at the start of the 1892-93 sessions，and took classes which the professors were willing to teach men and women together.

The affiliation and partial incorporation of the college in the University was eventually effected in 1897 and 1898.Because of the Conjoint School of Medicine which was established at Dundee，the University by now possessed four faculties – Arts，Divinity，Science and Medicine.The period that I must mention is the World War II period from the 1939-1945.During this period，the University had many overseas students，notably Polish soldiers serving in the armed forces.Because of the strong links between Scotland and Poland back to the fifteenth century through trade and military service，the majority of Polish soldiers based in the UK were stationed in Scotland.And a group of Polish troops and service personnel based near St Andrews met regularly in the early 1940s for Art classes.

After the World War II，state financial aids was increased in the 1950s and the 1960s through the University Grant Committee and the Scottish Education Department. In the ensuing period，the Dundee School of Economics was incorporated in the University.And new Faculties of Law，Applied Science and Social Science were established.In 1967，according to the Royal Charter，Queen's College became the University of Dundee.New students who studied medicine，dentistry，engineering，education，law and some social science subjects thus became members of the University of Dundee rather than of St.Andrews after this date.

3.The characteristics of the modern University of St.Andrews

1） Consistent high teaching quality in a strong research environment

As the awards of its research rating in recent years，the University of St.Andrews has grown significantly.In the academic year 2006 - 2007，the university has totally 2102 members of staff，in which 938 are academic and research staff，and other 1164 are supportive and academic-related staff. Most of them are full-time appointments： Teaching Fellows，Honorary Lecturers/Senior Lecturers，and Honorary Professors.The School was rated “highly satisfactory in the last teaching quality assessment exercise” .Because of these advantages and high caliber，the university consistently attracts students from home and abroad.In order to keep up with the University policy，their teaching flew from research，lively teaching and published work.

2） Diverse forms of teaching： web support and small group interaction

The university aims to develop all their qualities among students and staff alike.Most modules，at all levels，are taught by a combination of whole-class lectures and smaller discussion groups，either tutorials or seminars.As for the program of English Studies，in the first-year modules they expect about 200 students.The students are divided into groups of six to eight students for weekly tutorials，and arrangements are similar for the second-year modules.Class sizes in Honors vary between modules.They aim to give all students of English the chance to discuss their work in tutorials，for it is the best way of teaching and of learning.

3） High reputation for an excellent academic experience

Academic integrity is fundamental to the values promoted by the University.It is important that all students are judged on their ability.It is not allowed unfairly to take an advantage over others，to affect the security and integrity of the assessment process，or to diminish the reliability and quality of a St Andrews degree.Therefore，the students who graduated from University of St.Andrews are crack and highly capable，and then popular in competitive jobs.

4） Flexible modular degree structure

In University of St.Andrews，different modular degrees are given to different people.And they ensure that educational opportunities are available to all groups in society，no matter what personal circumstances they have.Besides the ordinary full-time education of the undergraduate and postgraduate students，the university also applies evening degree and non-degree courses.National statistics prove that the university has one of the highest degree completion rates of any university in Scotland.That is to say，the student admitted by the university will succeed in his/her studies through all kinds of flexible modular degree structure.

4.Conclusion

I regret that I have been unable to do proper work like many educators who have labored so diligently to improve the educational well-being of the nation.But through my introduction to the University St.Andrews，which represents the higher educational situation of Scotland，I hope my paper will be a little use to those who are interested in the identity of Scottish nation to get a general idea of the identity of Scottish higher education.

Reference：

[1]Boer， H.and Maassen， P.（1999）， Higher Education Policy， New York： Palgrave Macmillan， Volume 12， Number 4.

[2]Cockburn， Craig （25/01/2009）， Intro to Scottish Education， http：//www.siliconglen.com/Scotland/17_1.html

[3]Findlay， Ian R.（1973）， Education in Scotland， Great Britain： Latimer Trend and Company Limited Plymouth.

[4]Gatherer， W.A.（1989）， Curriculum Development in Scotland， Edinburg： Scottish Academic Press.

[5]Handbook for Undergraduate Students （2008）， English Department of University of St.Andrews.

[6]1892.Admission of women as students， （15/02/2009）， http：//www.st-andrews.ac.uk/600th/ourhistory

http：//www.st-andrews.ac.uk/about/awards/

http：//www.st-andrews.ac.uk/about/Factsandfigures/

http：//www.st-andrews.ac.uk/about/HistoryoftheUniversity/