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Abolish all unis and create the University of Great Britain

With different campuses across the UK.

It's headquarters would be the largest current campus in London. Oxford would turn into a museum, with Oxford Brookes becoming one of the campuses.

This would stop university elitism, and give people from disadvantaged backgrounds who come from 'lower' unis a better chance in the graduate job market.

It would also have more standardised entrance standards; removing the extreme difficulty of Oxbridge and the extreme easiness of the Mets.
(edited 8 years ago)

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It wouldn't change anything there would still be competitions on which is the most prestigious campus, is it UGB, Central London or is it UGB, Oxford.
Original post by Lady Comstock
With different campuses across the UK.

It's headquarters would be the largest current campus in London. Oxford would turn into a museum, with Oxford Brookes becoming one of the campuses.

This would stop university elitism, and give people from disadvantaged backgrounds who come from 'lower' unis a better chance in the graduate job market.

It would also have more standardised entrance standards; removing the extreme difficulty of Oxbridge and the extreme easiness of the Mets.


No. I'm sick of the education system being more and more about pandering to the lowest common denominator. Some people at the top of the spectrum need to be stretched. I went to a 'grammar' school and even there the work was made too easy for me- and I'm not even super clever. Sure have schemes to help those from disadvantaged backgrounds reach the top unis, but don't deny those who have the ability the chance to pursue their subjects at the highest possible level.
Original post by TheWaffle
No. I'm sick of the education system being more and more about pandering to the lowest common denominator. Some people at the top of the spectrum need to be stretched. I went to a 'grammar' school and even there the work was made too easy for me- and I'm not even super clever. Sure have schemes to help those from disadvantaged backgrounds reach the top unis, but don't deny those who have the ability the chance to pursue their subjects at the highest possible level.


I agree with the above. All universities can't be the same because all people aren't the same. You either put in the work and get an offer from a prestigious uni, or you don't.


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No, what a stupid idea.
How the **** did u get into oxford
**** college?
Reply 6
Avatar for Drewski
Drewski
19
Aka, the "I'm too thick to do well, so I'll stop others from doing well to make myself feel better" plan.
Original post by TheWaffle
No. I'm sick of the education system being more and more about pandering to the lowest common denominator. Some people at the top of the spectrum need to be stretched. I went to a 'grammar' school and even there the work was made too easy for me- and I'm not even super clever. Sure have schemes to help those from disadvantaged backgrounds reach the top unis, but don't deny those who have the ability the chance to pursue their subjects at the highest possible level.


Sorry, what is it that you do now?
Original post by Ghughes92
I agree with the above. All universities can't be the same because all people aren't the same. You either put in the work and get an offer from a prestigious uni, or you don't.
Posted from TSR Mobile


Wow so if you don't get in to a prestigious uni you haven't put in the work? Some people don't even WANT to go to those unis or can't for other reasons, not because they don't work hard enough. I personally didn't apply to any 'prestigious unis' not because I couldn't get in, but because none of them appealed to me.

Use that brain before you speak
no just no.. then there would be no drive to work hard and get into elite unis if all were the same
(edited 8 years ago)
People from disadvantaged backgrounds have an easier time getting into top uni's in my opinion. They are given bursaries and grants they do not have to repay and there are numerous scholarship schemes set up for people from low income backgrounds.
Furthermore, everyone has the same opportunities to work hard from a young age and get the grades needed to get into the elite universities. Needing wealth to get good grades is a load of crap. There are free learning resources pretty much wherever you look.
I don't think OP was just suggesting a rebranding -- in which case, no, nothing would change.

The point would be to equally distribute, as far as possible, teaching standards and to share professionals. That way each university below average would see significant improvements. You could argue this brain drain would reduce the quality of universities that are already above average, but what if they received a greater share of revenue to employ more staff and train more postgraduates on those campuses?
Reply 12
Avatar for Josb
Josb
6
That's what Napoleon did. He created the University of France with campuses in the major cities.
Original post by aliman65
People from disadvantaged backgrounds have an easier time getting into top uni's in my opinion. They are given bursaries and grants they do not have to repay and there are numerous scholarship schemes set up for people from low income backgrounds.
Furthermore, everyone has the same opportunities to work hard from a young age and get the grades needed to get into the elite universities. Needing wealth to get good grades is a load of crap. There are free learning resources pretty much wherever you look.


Bursaries and grants have no affect on how easy it is to get an offer from a top university. Scholarship schemes are far and few between, and due to the nature of the people they target, students are often not even aware of them until it is too late.

Also your post is clearly bait, as nobody could honestly claim that people from disadvantaged backgrounds have as many opportunities as those who attend private schools. Just because there are 'free learning resources' available does not mean that the school you attend, and the culture it promotes, has no correlation to the likelihood of success in education. People from the poorest backgrounds often attend schools where the majority don't achieve 5 GCSEs, never mind any A-Levels.

OPs idea is idiotic however.
Original post by James E Walker
Sorry, what is it that you do now?


I assume you mean academically. I'm in my final year of Latin and French at the University of Manchester. And before you spout off about league table positions, I had places at much more 'prestigious' universities- I just chose not to go. The point is that people should be able to have the choice.
Original post by TheWaffle
I assume you mean academically. I'm in my final year of Latin and French at the University of Manchester. And before you spout off about league table positions, I had places at much more 'prestigious' universities- I just chose not to go. The point is that people should be able to have the choice.


What prestigious universities did you have an offer from?

Do you have a grad offer anywhere?
Original post by James E Walker
What prestigious universities did you have an offer from?

Do you have a grad offer anywhere?


Durham and Edinburgh.
I didn't apply to Oxbridge/ Havard etc, though I had the grades and was told by teachers I should.

I'm not doing a grad course yet. If I do further study, it will be in a different field (environmental science/ policy) so I am doing some MOOCs etc and focusing on one of my other career options (screenwriting/ acting) whilst getting work experience in that area (plus doing maths 4 fun bcos yolo and learning a new language (yay)).
Original post by TheWaffle
Durham and Edinburgh.
I didn't apply to Oxbridge/ Havard etc, though I had the grades and was told by teachers I should.

I'm not doing a grad course yet. If I do further study, it will be in a different field (environmental science/ policy) so I am doing some MOOCs etc and focusing on one of my other career options (screenwriting/ acting) whilst getting work experience in that area (plus doing maths 4 fun bcos yolo and learning a new language (yay)).


okay :smile:

I meant graduate job offers.
Original post by James E Walker
okay :smile:

I meant graduate job offers.


Oh I seeee. No I'm not applying to grad schemes yet. Most of them seem boring lol. I'm not very conventional.

What stage are you at at the moment? :smile:
Good idea in a way OP, I certainly have thought of Unis like Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds uniting and having specialties and becoming powerhouses. Unfortunately the idea of a British university is, although in some ways sensible and practical, far too egalitarian for class-distinction obsessed England.

Btw your sentiments are strangely at odds with your username....
(edited 8 years ago)

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