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[chezr2d2]

Hello, I am going to apply a leaturer in a UK university. The ad said "Familiarity with the British university system" what does it mean? in research/teaching areas? or REF score?

I am so confused. Your comments will be great appreciated. Thank you.

[mingus]

If you have to ask, you obviously don't have it.

[crowie]

If you've done a Ph.D. in the UK system then you should be fine.  I think they are trying to weed out people from, I guess, the US who have no familiarity with the differences between the two models.

[bevo98]

At least when I taught in the B. system, there were a couple of key differences:

1. you can get a PhD with an expanded version of Masters with little additional course work (in the humanities at least)

2.  instead of 3 hours a week with all students, you teach two hours with the entire group and then tutorials with smaller groups.  It made for more time, but was infinitely better for discussion and attendance.  I have always wanted to try to implement it here, but, alas, no one seems interested.

[neutralname]

Obviously the only people who could know what they meant are the people who wrote the job ad.  Why don't you ask them?

If you want to prepare yourself fully, then familiarize yourself with all aspects. 

Note that most UK applicants will be familiar with their own universities, not the whole system, so you will then have an advantage over them. 

[chezr2d2]

Thanks all. Your replies are so informative and helpful.

Re mingus, I think my question is what the meaning of "Familiarity with the British university system" in the sense of British terminology? Somethings that you want to clarify don't mean that you don't know it. Anyway, thanks.

Re neutralname: thanks for your kind advice, I may call them to ask.

Re Bevo98 very useful info. yes, exactly the same system at my University.Thanks

Re crowie: I see. thanks!

[chaosbydesign]

I think it is likely that they are referring things like the way that undergraduate degrees are structured in the UK etc. Although the actual structure of a degree will vary from one university to the next in terms of the courses students have to take to meet requirements, the classification of degrees and the grade (usually a percentage not a letter grade) required to achieve each classification is standard across the UK. If I were you I would look up undergraduate degree classification. I hate to actually recommend Wikipedia, but this might be a good place to start.

Also, find out what type of university you are applying to (i.e. is it an ancient university? A post-1992?). They follow the same general model, but there are differences in terms of the amount of time you will be expected to dedicate to research vs. teaching, the type of degree offered etc.

One of the key differences between the US system and the UK system that you should be aware of is that there is no tenure in the UK.

[mingus]

Thanks all. Your replies are so informative and helpful.

Re mingus, I think my question is what the meaning of "Familiarity with the British university system" in the sense of British terminology? Somethings that you want to clarify don't mean that you don't know it. Anyway, thanks.

Re neutralname: thanks for your kind advice, I may call them to ask.

Re Bevo98 very useful info. yes, exactly the same system at my University.Thanks

Re crowie: I see. thanks!

Glad to know that you are getting useful answers.   If I recall, from another thread, you are about to get a PhD, in the UK, from a UK university.    But you wish to know what "Familiarity with the British university system" means.   I'd be concerned.

[qrypt]

Thanks all. Your replies are so informative and helpful.

Re mingus, I think my question is what the meaning of "Familiarity with the British university system" in the sense of British terminology? Somethings that you want to clarify don't mean that you don't know it. Anyway, thanks.

Re neutralname: thanks for your kind advice, I may call them to ask.

Re Bevo98 very useful info. yes, exactly the same system at my University.Thanks

Re crowie: I see. thanks!

Glad to know that you are getting useful answers.   If I recall, from another thread, you are about to get a PhD, in the UK, from a UK university.    But you wish to know what "Familiarity with the British university system" means.   I'd be concerned.

The OP might be in a reasonable position in that case (i.e., doing a PhD in a UK university).  It's the people (like me) who come from somewhere else that struggle.  Here the OP is familiar with the UK system and simply appears not to know it (it=the fact that he/she is familiar with it).  Obviously it's a question of demonstrating it, but the gap might be smaller than it appeared initially. 

[chezr2d2]

Thanks qrypt, mingus and chaosbydesign! I will take a look at it very carefully.

great to raise the point about the structures of British degree.

Cheers!

[mingus]

Thanks all. Your replies are so informative and helpful.

Re mingus, I think my question is what the meaning of "Familiarity with the British university system" in the sense of British terminology? Somethings that you want to clarify don't mean that you don't know it. Anyway, thanks.

Re neutralname: thanks for your kind advice, I may call them to ask.

Re Bevo98 very useful info. yes, exactly the same system at my University.Thanks

Re crowie: I see. thanks!

Glad to know that you are getting useful answers.   If I recall, from another thread, you are about to get a PhD, in the UK, from a UK university.    But you wish to know what "Familiarity with the British university system" means.   I'd be concerned.

The OP might be in a reasonable position in that case (i.e., doing a PhD in a UK university).  It's the people (like me) who come from somewhere else that struggle.  Here the OP is familiar with the UK system and simply appears not to know it (it=the fact that he/she is familiar with it).  Obviously it's a question of demonstrating it, but the gap might be smaller than it appeared initially. 

I would consider the OP as being familiar with the British university system.    My concern (if I were on the hiring committee) is that I would expect an academic to know what he knows.   Knowing what he doesn't know would also be helpful. So to speak.

[chezr2d2]

"Knowing what he doesn't know would also be helpful" agree 100%
So, I am planning to say that I am familiar with teaching, research and educational system in UK, of course these come from my experience while doing a PhD in a UK university. I will also say I know a bit the operation of REF. what do your guys think? thanks :)