Colleges within universities in the United Kingdom
Colleges within universities in the United Kingdom can be divided into two broad categories: those in federal universities such as the
In the past, many of what are now British universities with their own degree-awarding powers were colleges which had their degrees awarded by either a federal university (such as
Traditional collegiate universities
Oxford and Cambridge
The two
In addition to accommodation, meals, common rooms, libraries, sporting and social facilities for its students, most colleges admit undergraduate students to the university and, through tutorials or supervisions (but not necessarily classes), contribute to the work of educating them, together with the university's departments/faculties.
The
At many colleges, the uniquely British custom of comensality is followed, meaning faculty usually eat together with students within their college, sharing ("co-") a table ("mensa").
Almost all of the Oxbridge colleges are fully independent legal entities within the universities, owning their own buildings, employing their own staff, and managing their own endowments. The colleges vary widely in wealth; the richer colleges often provide financial support to the poorer ones. It is entirely possible for some colleges to be in better financial health than the universities of which they are a part. Currently about 2/3 of the £4.3 billion endowment of Cambridge University is in the hands of its colleges, and therefore just 1/3 belongs to the central university.
Typically a student or fellow of an Oxbridge college is said to be "living in college" if their accommodation is inside the college buildings. Most colleges also accommodate students, especially graduate students, in houses or other buildings away from the college site.
Graduate students do not receive education from their college. Graduate students at Cambridge and Oxford have to name two college choices on their application, which goes to the department/faculty, and if the university accepts them, it guarantees that the applicant will have a college membership, although not necessarily at the favoured college(s).
Durham University
At the time of Durham's foundation, Oxford and Cambridge were the only two universities in England, thus Durham, following their example, pursued a collegiate model from the start. Two important innovations were, however, made that were later taken up for the colleges of the
This model was challenged by the admission to the university as teaching colleges of the College of Medicine and Armstrong College in Newcastle (now
Although the colleges do not have any teaching duties as part of the university, they do provide meals, common rooms, libraries, sporting, scholarships and social facilities for their members. The colleges also play a large role in the pastoral care of students, with each college having a personal tutorial system, JCR, MCR and SCR and either a master or principal in charge of the everyday running of the college. The colleges have a role in the admissions of students, although not as large as those at Oxbridge, and normally confined to identifying students that suit the college ethos and atmosphere – departments are responsible for admissions to the university, each college for admissions to that college. Applicants can indicate their college preference through UCAS, as with Oxford and Cambridge.
As of 2020/21, there are 17 colleges in Durham City (one,
University of Lancaster
The
All students and staff at Lancaster are college members.[12] Colleges are independent of university education, instead providing on-campus accommodation, social events and sporting teams.[13] Undergraduate students must choose from one of the eight undergraduate colleges; on-campus accommodation is usually a key factor in this choice.[14] Postgraduate students are always assigned to the Graduate college, whereas staff members may choose any college. Students must pay a college membership fee.[15] There is a programme of inter-college sports, with the winner being awarded the Carter Shield.[16]
University of York
The
Intercollegiate sport is one of the main activities of the colleges. Currently there are 21 leagues with weekly fixtures, in addition a number of one day events are organised as well.[20] In 2014 the "College Varsity" tournament was created, with sporting competitions held between York's colleges and the colleges of Durham University. York hosted the first tournament which was won by Durham's colleges; the second tournament was hosted by Durham in 2015, who won again. The third tournament was held in York in 2016, with York winning for the first time, and the fourth in Durham in 2017, with the hosts reclaiming the title.[21][22][23]
University of Kent
All students at the University of Kent are part of one of the eight colleges. Each college has a Master, who is responsible for enforcing University regulations and ensuring safe student conduct. Each college also has an elected student committee. There are seven colleges (Eliot, Rutherford, Keynes, Darwin, Turing, Park Wood, and Woolf) on the Canterbury campus, with Woolf being "mainly postgraduate", and Medway College on the Medway campus.[24] The initial four colleges (Elliot, Rutherford, Keynes and Darwin) were established between 1965 and 1970, after which no new college was established at the Canterbury campus until Woolf in 2008. This has since been followed by Turing (2014) and Park Wood (2020).[25] Chaucer College (1992), located on the same campus, enjoys some common life with the University of Kent, but remains independent, and is not a constituent college of the university.
University of Roehampton
The
Federal universities
University of London
The University of London is a federal university comprising 17 member institutions. Following the passing of the University of London Act 2018, constituent colleges can apply to become universities in their own right while remaining members of the federal university; twelve of the colleges applied for university status in 2019.[28] The university's statutes under the 2018 act allow for member institutions to have either "the status of a college" or "the status of a university";[29] as of September 2020[update] all 17 member institutions remain colleges.
For most practical purposes, ranging from admissions to funding, the member institutions operate on a semi-independent basis, with many having awarded their own degrees whilst remaining in the federal university since 2008. For historical reasons the two founding colleges, University College and King's College, have names resembling those of Oxbridge colleges.
As originally established in 1836, London was an examining board and degree awarding body for affiliated colleges. Starting with UCL and King's, which were named in the original charter, the list of affiliated colleges grew to include everything from grammar schools to the universities of the British Empire by 1858, when the affiliated college system was abandoned and London's degree examinations thrown open to anyone. Following a campaign led by UCL and King's in the late 19th century, the university became a federal body in 1900. The Constitution evolved during the 20th century, with power shifting towards the central University and then back towards the colleges. In the mid-1990s the colleges gained direct access to government funding and the right to confer University of London degrees themselves, and from 2008 those colleges that held their own degree awarding powers were allowed to use them while remaining part of the federation.
The nine largest colleges of the university are
Later the expansion of the university saw the growth of the small specialist colleges such as the
Since the mid-1990s, all University of London colleges have been Recognised Bodies with the right to confer University of London degrees. From 2005 onwards, the
The University of London also has three Central Academic Bodies: the School of Advanced Study, the University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP), and the University of London Worldwide, which are under the direct control of the central University and are not considered colleges.[32]
University of Wales
In the University of Wales, colleges were the lower tier of institutional membership in the federal structure, below constituent institutions, following the reorganisation of the university in 1996. Prior to this, the member institutions were all called colleges. After 2007 the colleges and constituent institutions all became independent universities, with the University of Wales shifting to a confederal structure where it validated degrees from these and other institutions. This arrangement ended in 2011 and it was announced that the university would merge with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. From August 2017 the two institutions have been functionality merged.[33]
University of the Arts London
The University of the Arts London (UAL) comprises six specialist art and design colleges, dating from the mid-1850s, that were brought together for administrative purposes. The colleges are not Listed Bodies and do not have separate legal status,[34] but maintain their separate identity and teach their own courses within the university.[35] As a consortium of teaching colleges, each teaching their own courses, joined under the umbrella of the central University, UAL is essentially federal, but differs from UHI and London in that its colleges are not independent bodies.
University of the Highlands and Islands
The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is a federal collegiate university consisting of 13 independent "academic partner" colleges and a central executive office.[36] Like the colleges of Oxford, Cambridge and Durham, and those of London prior to the mid-1990s, UHI colleges are Listed Bodies.
Universities with associated colleges
A few universities, while operating as unitary institutions, have associated colleges in federal relationships.
Queen's University Belfast
University of South Wales
The
See also
- Sixth form college
- University college
- List of colleges and universities
- List of residential colleges
- House system
- Residential College
References
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- ^ "Statute V: Colleges, Societies, and Permanent Private Halls". University of Oxford. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ "About". Reuben College, Oxford. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ "Reuben College Buildings 2022". 27 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ^ R. J. O'Hara (20 December 2004). "The Collegiate System at the University of Durham". The Collegiate Way. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
- ^ "Explore our colleges". Durham University. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
- Northern Echo.
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- ^ "College Sport". College Sport at York. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ "New College Varsity". York Vision. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ^ Matt Roberts (1 March 2016). "Durham lose College Varsity to York". Palatinate. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- ^ Josh Males (10 March 2017). "Varsity triumph highlights strength in depth". Palatinate. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- ^ "Colleges". University of Kent. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ "Colleges trail: exploring the past and present" (PDF). University of Kent. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ "Articles of Association". University of Roehampton. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
- ^ "Annual report and financial statements 2012 – 2013" (PDF). University of Roehampton. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
- ^ "UCL statement on University of London Act 2018". University College London. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ "Statutes" (PDF). University of London. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ "A timeline of College developments". Imperial College London. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ^ Jack Grove (3 September 2018). "Heythrop College: innovation can't save first victim of £9K fees". Times Higher Education.
- ^ "How the University is run". University of London. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ "University of Wales Merger – Frequently Asked Questions" (PDF). University of Wales. January 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ "Charitable Status". University of the Arts London. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
- ^ "Colleges". University of the Arts London. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
- ^ "UHI Equality Outcome and Mainstreaming Report 2019" (PDF). Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ "QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST". 27 November 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
- ^ "Corporate Information". Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Archived from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
- ^ "UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES / PRIFYSGOL DE CYMRU". 27 November 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2016.