University Challenge

[Nick Armstrong]

... I am so sorry, Caliban - I did not realize that the four-nil thrashing had hurt so much...

.

Au contraire, I was encouraged to see evidence that the main attention of those at Cambridge is focused on more important matters.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

For many years the Welsh colleges were part of the now-defunct University of Wales, which operated a similar system. I suspect few argued that Aberystwith and UC Cardiff should not be able to compete because they were part of the same university.

That is a very different matter. Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff and Swansea are separated by mountain ranges. Only Cardiff and Swansea have reasonable physical communications between none another. In Cambridge and Oxford, you only have fro trip up and you land in a different college.

[french frank]

(Leaving aside the fake MA nonsense for a moment)

Not 'fake' - originally the degree of MA was a first degree (none of these odd, sexist, bachelor things). When I went up to Aberdeen, I was surprised to find that nippers just out of school were studying for their 'MAs': Ancient Universities do things differently.

[MrGongGong]

Not 'fake' - originally the degree of MA was a first degree (none of these odd, sexist, bachelor things). When I went up to Aberdeen, I was surprised to find that nippers just out of school were studying for their 'MAs': Ancient Universities do things differently.

(carefully )

[french frank]

(carefully )

Never mind laughing and whistling - as long as you understand the situation now

[Pabmusic]

That is a very different matter. Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff and Swansea are separated by mountain ranges. Only Cardiff and Swansea have reasonable physical communications between none another. In Cambridge and Oxford, you only have fro trip up and you land in a different college.

Thanks for the geography lesson I know the mountain range between Cardiff and Swansea well. But of course I'm talking about the administration of the university (when it existed) - they were all colleges of one university.

[MrGongGong]

Thanks for the geography lesson I know the mountain range between Cardiff and Swansea well. But of course I'm talking about the administration of the university (when it existed) - they were all colleges of one university.

Last time I went there, Cambridge had a single music department.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thanks for the geography lesson I know the mountain range between Cardiff and Swansea well. But of course I'm talking about the administration of the university (when it existed) - they were all colleges of one university.

What I meant was that the University of Wales was something of an artificial edifice, whereas the Oxbridge/London/Durham system is simply a way of subdividing a single entity.

[Mary Chambers]

Frankly, it is a dire , elitist ( in the bad sense ) programme that should have been laid to rest when Bamber G retired .

I think this is nonsense. I always find it very reassuring that there are still youngsters who are well-educated enough to answer the questions. That's not the impression I get in life as a whole!

It's my favourite television programme, and tests my general knowledge every week. I shall miss it while it's not on air.

I expected Magdalen to win, but Loveday was so good last night that they didn't stand much of a chance.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

I think this is nonsense. I always find it very reassuring that there are still youngsters who are well-educated enough to answer the questions. That's not the impression I get in life as a whole!

It's my favourite television programme, and tests my general knowledge every week. I shall miss it while it's not on air.

I expected Magdalen to win, but Loveday was so good last night that they didn't stand much of a chance.

hear hear!

[ardcarp]

I think this is nonsense. I always find it very reassuring that there are still youngsters who are well-educated enough to answer the questions. That's not the impression I get in life as a whole!

It's my favourite television programme, and tests my general knowledge every week. I shall miss it while it's not on air.

You have just voiced the thoughts I was going to post, Mary.

On the subject of Classics, just because many state-schools choose not to offer Latin and/or Greek, that is no reason to disparage its being taught elsewhere. I never regret my lowly O-level Latin. It was taught by an inspired (though fearsome...just like Life of Brian) teacher, and IMHO nothing gets the adolescent brain going quite so effectively.

[Barbirollians]

You have just voiced the thoughts I was going to post, Mary.

On the subject of Classics, just because many state-schools choose not to offer Latin and/or Greek, that is no reason to disparage its being taught elsewhere. I never regret my lowly O-level Latin. It was taught by an inspired (though fearsome...just like Life of Brian) teacher, and IMHO nothing gets the adolescent brain going quite so effectively.

What you and the last two posters have completely ignored or failed to understand is that it is a programme still entirely skewed to an Oxbridge public school understanding of what amounts to general knowledge . There is no reason why the odd question may not relate to Classics a subject really only taught in places such as Latymer Upper School but last night's questions were absurd . They could almost have come from a programme from the 1950s .

I do not disparage the learning of those subjects at all . What I was criticising is that University Challenge that does not provide for a level playing field.

It could be a fair yet very intellectually challenging quiz - shows like last night's are not fair . Paxman's observation about the questions was entirely accurate .

[teamsaint]

What you and the last two posters have completely ignored or failed to understand is that it is a programme still entirely skewed to an Oxbridge public school understanding of what amounts to general knowledge . There is no reason why the odd question may not relate to Classics a subject really only taught in places such as Latymer Upper School but last night's questions were absurd . They could almost have come from a programme from the 1950s .

I do not disparage the learning of those subjects at all . What I was criticising is that University Challenge that does not provide for a level playing field.

It could be a fair yet very intellectually challenging quiz - shows like last night's are not fair . Paxman's observation about the questions was entirely accurate .

..reflecting Ken Robinson's very sensible opinion that schooling in the UK is just a very extended system of preparation for university entrance.....

[Flosshilde]

What you and the last two posters have completely ignored or failed to understand is that it is a programme still entirely skewed to an Oxbridge public school understanding of what amounts to general knowledge . There is no reason why the odd question may not relate to Classics a subject really only taught in places such as Latymer Upper School but last night's questions were absurd . They could almost have come from a programme from the 1950s .

I do not disparage the learning of those subjects at all . What I was criticising is that University Challenge that does not provide for a level playing field.

It could be a fair yet very intellectually challenging quiz - shows like last night's are not fair . Paxman's observation about the questions was entirely accurate .

It also highlights the fact that Oxford & Cambridge University entrance is heavily skewed towards pupils in a minority of schools.

[MrGongGong]

..reflecting Ken Robinson's very sensible opinion that schooling in the UK is just a very extended system of preparation for university entrance.....

Come back Ken