[THE UNIVERSITIES.]
The Government and the Universities.—Universities in Great Britain enjoy a very considerable amount of freedom; in fact, the curriculum may be said to be entirely in the hands of the Academic Governing Body (called in most modern Universities, The Senate, but passing under various titles in the older Universities). Only such institutions as are incorporated by a University Charter from Government may grant degrees, but enactments in matters academic are made by the University itself, under the constitution as laid down in each Charter. The Government, through the Board of Education, makes yearly grants to Universities and Colleges; but it has hitherto refrained from laying down any stringent conditions as to the precise use made of them. The amount of the Government grant is however very small as compared with what is given in other countries, and higher education has to depend very largely upon endowment by private benefactors, with some support from municipal grants. The present critical state of national and private finance, together with the largely increased demand for higher education, has brought about in all Universities something like a serious financial crisis—for which at the present moment no adequate remedy appears.
Universities and Colleges.—There are no degree-giving Colleges in the United Kingdom; all degree-giving institutions are called Universities. Colleges are institutions too much specialised or too incomplete to be incorporated as Universities in themselves; they may form parts of a University, or may be independent. There are no degree-giving institutions for women only, as in the United States.
List of Universities and Colleges Open to Women.
- Universities.—Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge (partially open), Durham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Oxford, Sheffield, Wales; in Scotland—Aberdeen, St. Andrews, Edinburgh, Glasgow; in Ireland—Belfast, Dublin, the National University.
- Colleges.—
- (1) Forming part of a University.
- In the University of St. Andrews:—University College, Dundee.
- In the University of Durham:—University College; College of Medicine, Armstrong College—both at Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
- In the University of London:—Bedford College, University College, King's College for Women, East London College, Royal Holloway College, Westfield College, London Day Training College, London School of Medicine for Women, School of Economics, School of Oriental Studies, etc., etc.
- In the University of Manchester:—Municipal College of Technology.
- In the University of Oxford:—Lady Margaret Hall, Somerville College, St. Hugh's College, St. Hilda's Hall, Society of Home Students.
- In the University of Wales:—University College of Wales, Aberystwyth; University College of North Wales, Bangor; University College of South Wales, Cardiff; University College of Swansea.
- In the University of Glasgow:—Queen Margaret College.
- In the National University of Ireland:—University College, Cork; University College, Dublin; University College, Galway.
- (2) Independent Colleges.
- Girton College, Newnham College—preparing for the degree examinations of Cambridge University.
- The Imperial College of Science and Technology (London)—preparing for its own Diplomas.
- Exeter, Nottingham, Reading, Southampton Colleges—preparing for the degrees of the (External) University of London.
- (1) Forming part of a University.
Where there are various Colleges within the University, it is customary to make application for admission to the University through the College selected.
Queen Margaret College is the name given to the women's side of the University of Glasgow; all applications from women for entrance to the University must be made through the College.
In Cambridge, all women students must be members of either Girton or Newnham College, and can only receive permission to attend University lectures or examinations through the College.
In Oxford, the body of Home Students ranks as a College, and has a Principal.