ECONOMIC ENGLISH FOR UPPER INTERMEDIATE

UNIT 4

HIGHER EDUCATION

OBJECTIVES: the students will have their knowledge, vocabulary and abilities improved in the domain of higher education they will become aware of the differences between Present Tense, Present Perfect Tense in usage and meaning

I. Answer the following questions before you read the text: l. Explain, by your own words, what is higher education. 2. What is a curriculum? 3. Is there any difference between private and state owned higher education institutions? 4. What do you know about the autonomous character of higher education? HIGHER EDUCATION AROUND THE WORLD I Higher education denotes a stage of education that succedes secondary education or follows further or tertiary education. It is defined, therefore, in terms of academic level and it consists of all courses beyond final school examinations (Advanced Levels in England and Wales, Higher Grades in Scotland, the baccalaureate in France, the Abitur in Germany) and intermediate technical qualifications (level 3 in terms of National Vocational Qualifications in the United Kingdom). Most of these courses are at undergraduate (Bachelors' degree, such as B.A.-Bachelor of Arts or B.S.-Bachelor of Science) and postgraduate level (Masters' and Doctoral - Ph.D.-degrees), but they also include higher technical and professional qualifications, such as Higher National Diploma in the United Kingdom. The demarcation between secondary and further education on the one hand and higher education on the other has become less clear as higher education institutions have begun to offer special access programmes at a lower academic level, which are targeted at disadvantaged social groups, and more general courses for adults, and also to provide continuing education and continuing professional development. Secondly, higher education denotes the system of institutions which provide such courses and also engage in research. These are principally universities.

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II. Match the words and the following definitions: assessment, qualification, elite, system, research, module, vocation, completion, technology, education 1. bring to an end; make something whole or perfect 2. careful study or investigation in order to discover new facts or information 3. a) profession, especialy one for which one is suited or trained; b) an urge to undertake a certain kind of work 4. qualifying or becoming qualified by training, examination or experience obtaining a degree, diploma or certificate 5. deciding the value of something 6. scientific study and use of mechanical arts and applied sciences 7. system of training and instruction designed to give knowledge and develop skills 8. any one of a set or standardised parts or units that are made separately and are joined together to construct a whole, a system 9. social group considered to be the best or most important because of their power, talent, wealth lo. group of things or parts working together as a whole III. Make sentences of your own with these words. HISTORY OF HIGHER EDUCATION The first universities were established in the high Middle Ages, from the 12th century onwards. Precise foundation dates remain debatable, but among the earliest were Bologna, Paris, and Oxford. These early universities were closely linked to the church and the curriculum was dominated by ancient philosophy. Although the university was a European phenomenon, analogous institutions existed in other cultures in the form of religious schools of the Islamic world in India, China and Japan. Many more universities were established in the early modern period. Royal patronage replaced the influence of the church, particularly in the Protestant countries of northern Europe. The university curriculum was transformed by the new learning of the Renaissance. Universities became lay institutions during the l6th and l7th centuries but the scientific revolution led to the establishment of other institutions, such as the Royal Society in England or the Academy of Science in Russia in the Age of Enlightement that also passed by the universities focussing in aristocratic salons and literary circles.

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More existing universities were established in two waves. The first occurred in the mid 19th century when the industrial revolution, the emergence of professional society and the growth of the modern state came together to stimulate the demand for university graduates. The second wave took place after l945 when the creation of universal secondary school system, the postwar society and the development of democratic aspirations led to the demands for the expansion of higher education. Many higher education systems are now on the brink of a third wave, the development of mass higher education becoming a norm rather than an exception. IV. Add the necessary information to the following: 1. first universities in the world were established in... 2. at the beginning academic education and curriculum was dominated by ... 3. the influence that Renaissance and Enlightenment philosophy had on education... 4. the two waves in education of the XXth century ... 5. mass higher education... V. Find the verbs used in present tense and present perfect tense in the text. Make the difference in meaning. HIGHER EDUCATION AROUND THE WORLD II Significant differences persist between national higher education systems. One is whether traditional universities have remained a distinct sector within higher education, characterised by student recruitment from elite social groups, graduate entry into leading professions, and by academic and theoretical rather than applied and practical courses, or whether unified systems have been established. Most European and North American Systems conform to the former binary model. A second key difference is whether most scientific research is done in universities and other higher education institutions or in specialised research establishments. In the United Kingdom and most Commonwealth countries or in some other European countries such as Sweeden and United States, universities are leading research institutions. But in France research is principally done by the Centre National de la Recherche. In many of the

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central and Eastern European countries and in the former Soviet Union, universities have only a limited stake on research. The main research units remain the academies of sciences with their specialised institutes. As most nations develop mass higher education systems, these incorporate scientific, professional and liberal-critical strands. New subjects have entered the higher education curriculum, some in response to scientific advances, but many to provide more vocational relevant outcomes. A new emphasis has been placed on responsiveness, to students and employers. Many higher education courses are now modular in structure. Instead of attending a three or four year degree course with restricted options, students can now choose from a range of separate modules. They are awarded points, or credits, for successful completion of these modules. Degrees and other qualifications, are denominated in credits. Students are free not only to accumulate these credits but to transfer them from one course to another. Most of the higher education courses are organised on terms of electives, or optional courses. The development of modular courses are often accompanied by a switch from the traditional academic year of three terms to two semesters. The success of the British Open University in distance learning has led to the widespread adoption of new teaching technologies (such as providing lessons on television radios or by post), which in turn have reinforced the move towards student-centred learning and assessment. As a result of all these changes, the purposes of higher education have been transformed. Universities are no longer exclusively engaged in the refinement, preservation, and transmission of authorised knowledge, organised within disciplines, into a settled intellectual culture. "Ownership" of the process of learning within higher education is now shared with students, many of whom are no longer young or privileged. VI. Use present or present perfect tense in the following sentences: 1. I consider the experience the most educational I (have). 2. Where you (be) educated? 3. Elite people always (teach) themselves to develop educated taste. 4. I have the impression that I (see) her on the TV. 5. She (graduate) recently the academy. 6. He (teach) marketing at a private university since l995. 7. This teacher (coach) his students group in computers in the evenings.

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8. She (instruct) the trainee accountants in drawing a correct balance sheet for the company. 9. He (train) himself to speak learnedly and at length. 10. When (be) that library book due back? 11. The college management (invite) people of great learning to lecture on up-to-date topics. 12. We (open) this deposit account with Credit Swiss since 1997.

VII. Use present perfect or past tense 1. They (study) materials in the library for all day long. 2. Freshers (register) their membership cards on library and computer centre at the beginning of the academic year. 3. They (build) a new student campus with halls of residence in this area last year. 4. The whole team (negociate) the terms of the contract 2 days ago. 5. They (extend) loan and reader spaces of the library for self study this term. 6. I never (fail) any exam before! 7. The senior lecturer (submit) her doctoral thesis last mounth. 8. The graduates (pass) already their finals. 9. She (study) almost every topic so far. 10.It seems he (become) a professor lo years ago. THE ACADEMY OF ECONOMIC STUDIES An important landmark in the history of Romanian higher education system is 1913 when the Academy of Higher Commercial and Industrial Studies was settled in Bucharest by a Royal Decree. The institution settled then changed its name several times, but since l969 it has preserved the present one. The Academy has continuously upgraded and modernised the educational process, and it kept the pace with the most prestigious similar institutions in the world. Some important representatives of the Romanian economic thinking delivered their lectures in its amphitheatres, such as Nicolae Iorga, Virgil Madgearu, Stanislas Cihoschi. The new Academic Charter of the institution was adopted in l996 and the following bodies were settled. the Senate, operates in plenary and committees sessions

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the Senate Board, an executive body, it is made up of the Rector, Vice-Rector, the Scientific Secretary, the General Administrative Manager and a students' representative - the Academic College is made up of the members of the Senate Board, the Deans of the faculties in the Academy, the Directors of Departments and Colleges that approves the curriculum of the Faculties, Colleges and Post Graduate Schools the Board of Administration is a consultative body that is concerned with investments, administration of funds, budget execution, supervising the activities of the operating Departments

VIII. Anser the questions after reading the text: 1. How old is the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest? 2. Why did the Academy change its name several times? 3. Is it a modern educational institution? 4. The new Academic Charter was adopted in l996. Why? 5. The curriculum reform is an on-going process. Who is to approve it for the faculties, colleges and post graduate schools in the Academy? 6. Name some of the representatives of the Romanian economic thinking and explain their ideas. IX. Professional training on Internet. Answer the questions after listening to the tape: 1. How did the professional training service appear on the Internet? 2. What kind of service is that and how does it work? 3. What information is provided by the database? 4. Name some advantages and disadvantages of the training service. 5. What happens with the provider not meeting the quality requirements? X. Translate into English: A. Procesul de nvmnt din Academia de Studii Economice este organizat pe principiile economiei de pia, pe dou mari seciuni: nvmntul de lung durat, structurat pe 9 faculti. nvmntul de scurt durata Corpul profesoral cuprinde preparatori, asisteni, lectori, confereniari i profesori. Procesul de nvmnt aliniat celui din rile avansate prin sistemul creditelor transferabile (ECTS), este structurat pe trei etape de formare:

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etapa I cu durata de 2 ani avnd un "trunchi comun" pentru toate specializrile facultii. etapa II cu specializri i subspecializri, cu opiuni n cadrul acestora etapa III studii aprofundate tip MSc, MArts, si/sau Master Fiecare student semneaz un contract de studii n care se precizeaz disciplinele pe care urmeaz s le studieze, ale cror numr de p.c. trebuie s le totalizeze. Contractul prevede obligativitatea obinerii celor l20 de p.c. pentru primii doi ani i media minim 6. Trecerea n anul superior de studii este condiionat de obinerea acel puin 40 puncte, n caz contrar studentul urmnd a fi exmatriculat.

Pentru anul terminal, contractul prevede obligaia realizrii celor minimum l20 (maximum l50) puncte cumulate pentru anii III i IV i de a avea media cel puin 7. Anul universitar este structurat pe 2 semestre a l4 sptmni, ncheiate fiecare cu sesiune de examene, planificate n iarn i n var. Evalurile semestriale sunt planificate n sptmnile 7-8 i l3-l4. n fiecare an universitar sunt prevazute cte 2 sptmni pentru restanele din semestrul curent. B. Obiectivele principale ale facultii de Finane, Asigurri, Bnci, Burse de Valori sunt pregtirea universitar, post universitar i doctoral a specialitilor n domeniu. n primii doi ani se realizeaz o specializare unic n "Finane, Bnci" printrun trunchi comun de cunotine n anii I, II care asigur o cultur economic general, familiarizarea cu aparatul statistic-matematic i informatic adecvat finanelor i bncilor. Din anul III nvmntul este organizat pe trei subspecializri: finane i piee financiare pentru pregtirea n domeniul finanelor i trezoreriei publice, al finanelor ntreprinderii i al pieei de capital din ar i strintate. banci i burse de valori pentru pregtirea studenilor n domeniul bncilor centrale i comerciale, al burselor de valori i al altor instituii specializate pentru piaa monetar i cea de capital, intern i international asigurri i securitate social, pentru pregtirea studenilor n domeniul pieei asigurrilor, al managementului societilor de asigurare, al

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plasamentelor economiilor populaiei, al brokerajului n asigurri, al finantrii proteciei sociale Cele trei subspecializri asigur cunotinte n analiza i previziunea fenomenelor economice, financiare i monetare prin surprinderea fenomenelor economice la nivel micro i macro structural, n plan naional i internaional. XI. Explain by your own words the ODL educational system in a written form The Academy of Economic Studies has also organised the open and distance learning. The students have the same curriculum as the full-time student. The same conditions can be achieved within 3 years. The didactic activities of this educational system are: courses and seminars verifying by correspondence and/or tests at intervals of 2-3 weeks consultancy individual study in the academy laboratories and libraries printing and delivery of the didactic materials by correspondence XII. Write a short composition about student's life using the following: fresher, campus, to pick a college, self study, computer centre, academic work, library, reading room, short/long loan facilities, photocopier, fully booked, library membership card, to run out of books, wasting time, habbits and hobbies, final (n), humanities subjects, sooner rather than later XII. Translate into English: Economia global se caracterizeaz nu numai prin comerul liber cu bunuri servicii, ci, chiar ntr-o msur mai mare, prin libera circulaie a capitalului. Ratele dobnzii, cursurile de schimb, i preurile din diverse ri se afl ntr-o foarte strns legtur i pieele financiare globale exercit o influen covritoare asupra condiiilor economice. Dat fiind rolul decisiv pe care capitalul financiar l are n destinul fiecrei ri n parte, nu este impropriu s vorbim de un sistem capitalist global.