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There has been much direct and indirect competition between the two universities for a number of years. Indirect competition can perhaps be measured by the success of the alumni of each university{{Dubious|date=May 2008}}. Oxford has a greater [[politics|political]] heritage: all but three of the British [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Ministers]] since [[Winston Churchill]]'s second term have been Oxford graduates (the exceptions are [[James Callaghan]] and [[John Major]], neither of whom received university educations, and [[Gordon Brown]], who graduated from the [[University of Edinburgh]]). Oxford has a high profile in the [[United States]] for its [[Rhodes Scholar]]s programme, which has included influential US figures such as [[Bill Clinton]]{{Fact|date=July 2008}}. Oxford is also famous for its [[Oxford English Dictionary|dictionary]], which is generally regarded as the definitive record of the [[English language]]{{Who|date=May 2008}}. |
There has been much direct and indirect competition between the two universities for a number of years. Indirect competition can perhaps be measured by the success of the alumni of each university{{Dubious|date=May 2008}}. Oxford has a greater [[politics|political]] heritage: all but three of the British [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Ministers]] since [[Winston Churchill]]'s second term have been Oxford graduates (the exceptions are [[James Callaghan]] and [[John Major]], neither of whom received university educations, and [[Gordon Brown]], who graduated from the [[University of Edinburgh]]). Oxford has a high profile in the [[United States]] for its [[Rhodes Scholar]]s programme, which has included influential US figures such as [[Bill Clinton]]{{Fact|date=July 2008}}. Oxford is also famous for its [[Oxford English Dictionary|dictionary]], which is generally regarded as the definitive record of the [[English language]]{{Who|date=May 2008}}. |
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Cambridge's reputation is more impressive in the [[science]]s and [[technology]]: it has been associated with the majority of Britain's most famous scientists, including [[Isaac Newton]], [[Charles Darwin]], [[Stephen Hawking]] (though Hawking also studied at Oxford) and [[James Clerk Maxwell]]{{Fact|date=July 2008}}. Science-related [[Nobel Prize]]s make up the bulk of Cambridge's |
Cambridge's reputation is more impressive in the [[science]]s and [[technology]]: it has been associated with the majority of Britain's most famous scientists, including [[Isaac Newton]], [[Charles Darwin]], [[Stephen Hawking]] (though Hawking also studied at Oxford) and [[James Clerk Maxwell]]{{Fact|date=July 2008}}. Science-related [[Nobel Prize]]s make up the bulk of Cambridge's 85 (as of 2009) officially recognized list of Nobels won by affliates — more than any other university in the world and ~70% more than Oxford. Cambridge alumni have been involved with developing some of the most important scientific ideas of the last few hundred years, including the theory of [[gravity]], the theory of [[evolution]] and the structure of [[DNA]], as well as technological innovations, including the construction of the [[EDSAC]] (one of the world's first computers), and [[Frank Whittle]]'s [[jet engine]]. It is sometimes claimed that Cambridge has a slightly higher profile in Asia, partly due to the perception that it is the stronger science & technology university{{Fact|date=July 2008}}. In 2000, the [[Gates Cambridge Scholarship]]s were founded, partly inspired by the [[Rhodes Scholarship]]s{{Fact|date=July 2008}}. Although its dictionaries are less famous than [[Oxford English Dictionary|Oxford's]], Cambridge is better known internationally for its [[University of Cambridge ESOL examination|EFL qualifications]] and for its examinations subsidiary, [[Cambridge Assessment]]{{Fact|date=July 2008}}. |
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It is easy to stereotype the two institutions as having different strengths, and specifically associate (for example) Oxford with politics and Cambridge with science. However, Cambridge has also produced distinguished politicians including Prime Ministers [[Robert Walpole|Walpole]], [[Stanley Baldwin|Baldwin]] and [[William Pitt the Younger|William Pitt]], and Oxford graduates include noted scientists such as [[Edmond Halley]], [[Robert Hooke]] and [[Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin]] (and more recently [[Tim Berners-Lee]], the inventor of the World Wide Web). |
It is easy to stereotype the two institutions as having different strengths, and specifically associate (for example) Oxford with politics and Cambridge with science. However, Cambridge has also produced distinguished politicians including Prime Ministers [[Robert Walpole|Walpole]], [[Stanley Baldwin|Baldwin]] and [[William Pitt the Younger|William Pitt]], and Oxford graduates include noted scientists such as [[Edmond Halley]], [[Robert Hooke]] and [[Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin]] (and more recently [[Tim Berners-Lee]], the inventor of the World Wide Web). |
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The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, collectively known as Oxbridge, are the two oldest universities in Britain. Both were founded more than 800 years ago, and between them they have produced a large number of Britain's most prominent scientists, writers and politicians, as well as noted figures in many other fields.[1] Competition between Oxford and Cambridge also has a long history, dating back to around 1209 when Cambridge was founded by scholars taking refuge from hostile townsmen in Oxford.[2]
Oxford and Cambridge are well known inside the United Kingdom. Their fame stems from a variety of factors, including an association with a long line of distinguished historical figures, knowledge of them spread through the influence of the British Empire, and the worldwide prominence of the English language[citation needed].
In common with many other institutions, Oxford and Cambridge have been careful to preserve many parts of their history[citation needed], retaining a number of traditions that can seem archaic and bizarre. Oxbridge students and academics have variously been stereotyped as intelligent, resourceful, and ambitious, as well as pretentious, arrogant, and inward-looking. The institutions themselves are often seen as quaint, charming and slow to change but are still considered two of the world's leading educational establishments and their courses are seen as modern and forward thinking. There are sometimes accusations in Britain that students from less affluent backgrounds are at a disadvantage when applying to Oxbridge, and that the two universities have kept their traditional reputation of being socially exclusive and elitist. This is strongly denied by both universities.
One significant change the two universities have made in the last century has been to broaden their intake is the increase in the number of women students.[citation needed] Until the late 19th century, only men were allowed to be students at the two universities, and women were not allowed to obtain degrees until the 20th century.[citation needed] At the undergraduate level, the male-to-female ratio at both Oxford and Cambridge is now roughly equal.[citation needed] Despite this, there are generally fewer women holding higher positions, although the current Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge, Alison Richard, is an exception.
For a number of years, Oxford and Cambridge have been magnets for scholars from across the world under the Rhodes, Marshall and now Gates scholarship programmes.[citation needed] "Oxbridge" is often compared to the Ivy LeagueofAmerican universities and Keio University/Waseda University in Japan, but this comparison can be misleading: for example, both Oxford and Cambridge are public universities where a significant proportion of undergraduate fees are funded by the government, whereas all of the Ivy League institutions and Japanese Keio University/Waseda University are private (however, some of the colleges at Cornell University are state-supported statutory colleges).
Oxford and Cambridge have well-regarded printing houses (Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press), botanical gardens (University of Oxford Botanic Garden and Cambridge University Botanic Garden), museums (the Ashmolean and the Fitzwilliam), legal deposit libraries (the Bodleian and the Cambridge University Library), and debating societies (the Oxford Union and the Cambridge Union).
Oxford and Cambridge also share a common collegiate structure: each university is composed of more than 30 autonomous colleges (see Colleges of the University of Cambridge, Colleges of the University of Oxford), which provide the environments in which groups of students live, work and sleep. Applicants must choose a specific college when applying to Oxford or Cambridge, or allow the university to select one for them, as all undergraduate students must be a member of one of the university colleges[citation needed]. All Oxbridge colleges are part of the university, and students studying the same subject are given lectures together, irrespective of which college they attend.
Colleges within each university regularly compete with each other in a variety of sports and other fields (e.g. rugby, rowing, athletics and chess), but will happily pool their talent to form university teams to compete against the greater "enemy" (Oxford or Cambridge as the case may be). Both Oxford and Cambridge refer to each other as "the other place"[citation needed]. In both places some students enjoy punting, although the punter traditionally stands at different ends of the boat in the two cities.
Several colleges at Oxford and Cambridge have the same, or similar, name:
In addition, at each of the universities there is a college which has a 'Bridge of Sighs', although neither resembles the original Bridge of SighsinVenice. Cambridge's bridge, which was built in 1831 and is part of St John's College, spans the River Cam. Oxford's bridge, which is part of Hertford College, was built in 1913/1914 and spans New College Lane.
The principal method of teaching at Oxbridge colleges is the "supervision" or "tutorial" (terms used at Cambridge and Oxford respectively, though the meaning is the same). These are typically weekly or more frequent hour-long sessions in which small groups of students - usually between one and three - meet with a member of the university's teaching staff or a doctoral student. Students are normally required to complete an essay or assignment in advance of the supervision/tutorial, which they will discuss with the supervisor/tutor during the session, along with any concerns or difficulties they have had with the material presented in that week's lectures. Students typically receive one to three tutorials/supervisions per week.[3]
Although this method of teaching is not unique to Oxbridge, few other universities have the resources to support such a system on this scale, and so typically teach larger groups of students (often termed "tutorials" or "seminars") and rely more heavily on lectures as an important method of teaching.[citation needed]
However, at Oxford, there have been recent attempts to reduce the number of tutorials offered to students: cuts to the number of tutorials given to students of English Literature began in the 2005-06 academic year[4]. No such cuts have been planned at Cambridge.[citation needed]
The cities of Oxford and Cambridge contain campuses of other large universities: Oxford Brookes University and Anglia Ruskin University respectively. There are also a number of English language schools for non-native speakers based in the two cities. These institutions are generally popular with students, some of whom may like to claim that they have studied at either Oxford or Cambridge.
The city of Oxford is larger (having a population about 30 per cent more than Cambridge in 2007 [5][6]) and has historically been more urban and industrial, whilst Cambridge has more of a market town feel. Oxford is associated with the motor industry (BMW currently produce the Mini in Oxford, and several Formula One teams are based in Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties), whereas the area surrounding Cambridge is known as Silicon Fen and has more high technology manufacturers.
The river is more prominent in Cambridge with punting along the famous stretch called 'The Backs', featuring several bridges and 'the backs' of several colleges. Although some architecture may appear similar at the two places, there are distinct differences in setting, condition and style. Oxford has a uniformity of building material, as a large proportion of the buildings are in the local sandstone. Cambridge, on the other hand, has no local stone, so stone has been brought in from a many different sources, resulting in a far greater variety of character. The contrasts in architecture in Cambridge are more pronounced, as can be seen in comparing King's College with the neighbouring Senate House.
Oxford is more often featured in the cinema[citation needed]; films with scenes shot in Oxford include Shadowlands and the Harry Potter movies, while Radcliffe Square was used in the filming of His Dark Materials: Northern Lights. The television series Inspector Morse is also set in Oxford. Cambridge may be best known in film as the real-life location of the court race scene portrayed in the film Chariots of Fire (although the scene is said to have been filmed at Eton College instead), or for the television series Porterhouse Blue.
There are differences in the terminology used at the two universities. For example, the undergraduate student body is often referred to as the "JCR" in both universities, but in Oxford this stands for "Junior Common Room", whereas in Cambridge it is sometimes "Junior Combination Room". At Oxford, the three terms of the academic year are called Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity,[7] whereas at Cambridge they are Michaelmas, Lent and Easter/Exam.[8][9] The large enclosed squares of grass found in most colleges are referred to as "courts" in Cambridge and "quadrangles" (or "quads") in Oxford. College cleaners in the two Universities go by different names: in Oxford they are 'scouts' and in Cambridge they are 'bedders'.[10]
There are more colleges at Oxford (39 colleges and seven permanent private halls) whereas Cambridge has 31 colleges. Choice of college at Oxford is in some cases more important than at Cambridge, since some Oxford colleges do not admit students in all the subjects available at the university (hence choice of college might be limited depending on which subject applicants wish to study) whereas most Cambridge colleges do give their students the option to study any subject offered by the university[citation needed]. Although both universities interview applicants in early or mid-December (or occasionally late November), the admissions processes are slightly different, with Oxford generally interviewing applicants at more than one college, and asking them to stay in the city for longer during interviews; the decision-making process is quicker, with applicants generally being notified of their acceptance/rejection before Christmas[citation needed]. Cambridge tends to have shorter interviews, normally only calling candidates back for interview at a second college if they have been rejected by their first-choice college; applicants are notified of their success or failure at the end of December or beginning of January[citation needed].
Cambridge students generally sit examinations at the end of every year, with each set of examinations being called a 'part' of the tripos. Oxford students generally only sit two sets of examinations, 'mods' or 'prelims' at some point in the first two years, and 'finals' at the end of their final year.
Traditions also vary between the two universities. For example, it is still compulsory at Oxford to wear formal academic dress (sub fusc) to all university examinations, although this is not the case at Cambridge. (The students of Oxford voted 81% in favour of keeping formal academic dress – sub fusc — in Hilary term 2006.[citation needed]) Cambridge has a rule called "keeping Term": all undergraduates must reside a certain number of nights each term within four miles (6 km) of the University Church in the city centre unless they are granted special permission to do otherwise (this is given to students on exchange programmes or studying overseas as part of their degree)[citation needed]. Oxford's version of this requirement has no set traditional name, but is occasionally referred to as the "Six Mile Rule", under which undergraduates must reside within six miles (10 km) of the Carfax Tower unless they have received special dispensation[citation needed]. In practice, these residence requirements are no longer strictly enforced at Oxford or Cambridge[citation needed]. Traditions and the seriousness with which they are taken tend to vary widely amongst the different colleges in each university, more so than between the two universities as a whole[citation needed].
There has been much direct and indirect competition between the two universities for a number of years. Indirect competition can perhaps be measured by the success of the alumni of each university[dubious – discuss]. Oxford has a greater political heritage: all but three of the British Prime Ministers since Winston Churchill's second term have been Oxford graduates (the exceptions are James Callaghan and John Major, neither of whom received university educations, and Gordon Brown, who graduated from the University of Edinburgh). Oxford has a high profile in the United States for its Rhodes Scholars programme, which has included influential US figures such as Bill Clinton[citation needed]. Oxford is also famous for its dictionary, which is generally regarded as the definitive record of the English language[who?].
Cambridge's reputation is more impressive in the sciences and technology: it has been associated with the majority of Britain's most famous scientists, including Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Stephen Hawking (though Hawking also studied at Oxford) and James Clerk Maxwell[citation needed]. Science-related Nobel Prizes make up the bulk of Cambridge's 85 (as of 2009) officially recognized list of Nobels won by affliates — more than any other university in the world and ~70% more than Oxford. Cambridge alumni have been involved with developing some of the most important scientific ideas of the last few hundred years, including the theory of gravity, the theory of evolution and the structure of DNA, as well as technological innovations, including the construction of the EDSAC (one of the world's first computers), and Frank Whittle's jet engine. It is sometimes claimed that Cambridge has a slightly higher profile in Asia, partly due to the perception that it is the stronger science & technology university[citation needed]. In 2000, the Gates Cambridge Scholarships were founded, partly inspired by the Rhodes Scholarships[citation needed]. Although its dictionaries are less famous than Oxford's, Cambridge is better known internationally for its EFL qualifications and for its examinations subsidiary, Cambridge Assessment[citation needed].
It is easy to stereotype the two institutions as having different strengths, and specifically associate (for example) Oxford with politics and Cambridge with science. However, Cambridge has also produced distinguished politicians including Prime Ministers Walpole, Baldwin and William Pitt, and Oxford graduates include noted scientists such as Edmond Halley, Robert Hooke and Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin (and more recently Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web).
Many annual competitions are held between Oxford and Cambridge, including the annual Boat Race. First contested in 1829, the race pits Cambridge University Boat Club against their Oxford counterparts over a four-mile (6 km) stretch of the River Thames[11]. The first Boat Race was won by Oxford, but Cambridge lead the overall series with 79 wins to Oxford's 74[12], with one dead heat in 1877[13]. Recent races have been closely fought, with Oxford winning by the shortest ever margin of 1-foot (0.30 m) in 2003[13] and Cambridge winning in 2004 despite Oxford claims of a foul[14]. In 2007, fielding their heaviest boat in the history of the race, Cambridge achieved their first victory in three years[citation needed].
The other major Oxbridge competitions are the Rugby Union and Rugby League Varsity Matches.
The Varsity Match is a rugby union game played annually in December at Twickenham stadium. Cambridge currently has 59 wins (including the most recent win in December 2006), Oxford has 52, and 14 games have ended in draws[15]. The Rugby Football Union chose to advertise the 2006 match with a campaign promoting inter-university rivalry: their advertising agency Lowe London produced posters showing the number of Prime Ministers produced by the universities, with the tagline "It's time to get even"[citation needed].
The Rugby League Varsity Match is a rugby league game played annually in March at The Stoop. Whilst not having the history of its Union counterpart, the fixture has been contested for nearly 30 years, and is broadcast live on Sky Sports. Cambridge currently lead the series 16-12, with one draw, in 1994.
The Boat Race and the two Varsity Matches are notable in the UK in that they are the only university sports events that have any public profile outside the universities themselves; all three are screened live on national television and are widely covered in the national media.
All other significant sports have their own varsity match at some point during the year; some of these, such as the Ice Hockey Varsity Match have attracted significant attention in the past[citation needed]. The results of all the varsity matches in The Varsity Games are aggregated and each year one university wins the Varsity Games title. Recently however, 'The Varsity Games' has had problems raising necessary funds[citation needed]. Sportsmen who have competed at a Varsity Match in the prestigious Full Blue sports are eligible for an Oxford BlueorCambridge Blue respectively.
Over the last few years, British universities have been subjected to the increasing popularity of national university league tables, which rank universities based on the inspected quality of their research, as well as other criteria, such as spending on facilities and drop-out rates[citation needed]. Oxford and Cambridge have been a constant presence at the top end of the tables, never appearing outside the overall top five and rarely not holding the first and second places, but their dominance in individual subjects is often challenged by other institutions[citation needed].
Cambridge topped more league tables than Oxford when they were first published in the early 1990s, and used to top Oxford to poll position in the widely respected Sunday Times University Guide league table, having ranked 1st for ten consecutive years, although Oxford has nudged Cambridge into second place in the league tables of The Times newspaper, where it has been first for the last four years[citation needed]. The accuracy and reliability of many of these tables is disputed, however: some rely on research assessments that are several years old; others have rankings which fluctuate because of differences in the way they are calculated each year[citation needed]. Other assessments, however, place Cambridge number one for the previous three years[citation needed]. Cambridge tends to benefit from its greater emphasis on science, whilst Oxford tends to benefit from its more centralised funding system[dubious – discuss].
International league tables of universities have also favoured Oxbridge. There are two such publicised surveys - Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2005 ranked Cambridge as 2nd in the world, and Oxford as 10th [16]; while in 2006, the THES - QS World University Rankings ranked Oxford 3rd and Cambridge 2nd overall in the world[citation needed]. The year before, Oxford had been 5th and Cambridge 6th[citation needed].
Despite the impassioned rivalry between the two universities, there is also much cooperation when the need arises. Most Oxford colleges have a sister college in Cambridge (but because Oxford has more colleges than Cambridge, not all Oxford colleges have a "sister"). Some Oxford and Cambridge colleges with the same name are 'sisters': for example, Jesus College, Cambridge and Jesus College, Oxford. However, namesakes are not always paired up: for example, Trinity College, Oxford is the sister college of Churchill College, Cambridge, while Trinity College, Cambridge is the sister college of Christ Church, Oxford.
An old Oxbridge myth about the individual colleges' wealth has it that it was once possible to walk from Oxford to Cambridge without leaving land owned by either Trinity College, Oxford or Trinity College, Cambridge (some versions of the myth use the two St John's colleges)[citation needed]. Both versions are certainly untrue[citation needed].
Concerns are often raised that Oxford and Cambridge admit a disproportionate number of students from wealthy backgrounds, usually on the basis of the relative numbers of state-school and private-school students at the universities, without consideration of the numbers of suitable applications from each category of school[who?]. The two universities have made combined efforts in recent years to project a socially-inclusive image to potential applicants, with the aim of increasing the number of state school applicants[citation needed]. Each year, the Universities spend around £8 million on access schemes and there is a designated Access Officer in every JCR and students' union.
