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　　University first-class degrees soaring

　　英国大学一等学位比例普遍上升，看看有你喜欢的学校吗?

　　The proportion of top degree grades being awarded by UK universities has soared - with some universities giving first-class degrees to more than a third of their students.

　　英国大学授予的一等学位所占的比例大幅上升，一些大学授予超过三分之一的学生一等学位。

　　The University of Surrey awarded a first-class degree to 41% of students last year, more than doubling the proportion five years ago.

　　去年，萨里大学授予了41%的学生一等学位，比5年前增加了一倍多。

　　And firsts awarded at the University of East Anglia have almost trebled to 37%.

　　而在东英吉利大学获得的一等学位的学生几乎增加了三倍，达到37%。

　　Among the prestigious Russell Group of universities more than a quarter of students received a first-class degree.

　　著名的罗素大学，有超过四分之一的学生获得了一等学位。

　　The Press Association survey, analysing figures for 2015-16 from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), indicates it is now more common to graduate with a first-class degree than a lower second (2:2) grade - with 24% getting a first last year, compared with 21% getting a lower second. The most widely awarded degree was an upper second (2:1), received by about 51%.

　　调查显示，从高等教育统计机构(HESA)发布的2015 - 16年的数据显示，现在获得一等学位的毕业生比获得二等学位的更多，去年有24%的人获得了一等学位，而21%的人获得了二等学位。一般二等及以上的学位比较得到广泛的认可，大约占总人数的51%。

　　1994: 7% of graduates awarded first-class degrees

　　1994年:7%的毕业生获得一等学位

　　2004: 11%

　　2004年:11%

　　2014: 19%

　　2014年:19%

　　2016: 24%

　　2016年:24%

　　The figures from HESA go back only as far as 1994 - but they show the proportion of firsts has more than trebled in the past two decades.

　　数据只记录到1994年，可以看出在过去20年里，一等学位的比例增加了两倍多。

　　Among the 148 universities with comparable data, only a handful saw fewer first-class degrees last year than five years previously, with a number having doubled or trebled the proportion awarded.

　　在148所有这方面数据记录的大学中，只有少数几所大学在去年的一等学位比5年前少了一些，大部分大学都增加了一倍甚至两倍。

　　Among specialist institutions, such as in the creative arts, proportions of firsts could be even higher - such as 64% of students getting firsts at the Royal Academy of Music.

　　在一些专科院校，比如创意艺术方向的院校，一等学位比例可能会更高，比如皇家音乐学院，64%的学生获得了一等学位。

　　"There are people who think the system isn’t as robust as it might be," said Nick Hillman, head of the Higher Education Policy Institute.

　　高等教育政策研究所所长尼克·希尔曼说:“有些人认为，这些大学并不像它展示出来的那样厉害。”

　　Universities are their own degree-awarding bodies, so can decide their own levels of degree grades.

　　授予什么学位主要是由大学自己控制的，因此大学可以控制学位等级的比例。

　　"They have every incentive to do so,"

　　“他们完全有动力这么做，”

　　"Students like to have top-class degrees and may choose universities on that basis."

　　“学生们都希望拥有一流的学位，并会根据这个比例来选择大学。”

　　Increasing firsts could push universities up league tables, said Prof Smithers.

　　史密瑟斯教授表示，越来越多的企业可能会将大学推向排行榜。

　　"If every other university is doing it, you don’t want to get left behind," he said.

　　他说:“如果其他大学都这么做，你肯定不想落后。”

　　But it meant that it was difficult for employers to interpret the value and that "an upper-second has almost become the pass grade".

　　但这也意味着，公司招人的时候也很为难，“二等学历几乎成了及最低标准”。

　　Universities are competing for students and their tuition fees, rising to 9,250 pounds , and there have been suggestions that more higher top degrees will be an incentive for applicants.

　　各个大学都在争夺生源，与此同时学费也上升到9250英镑,大比例的一等学位会成为申请者们选择学校的一个因素之一。

　　First-class degrees will be an advantage for future job opportunities - and some companies recruit only from graduates with an upper second or above.

　　一流的学位是学生们未来就业的一个优势，有些公司只招收有二等或以上学历的毕业生。

　　But there have also been arguments that rising degree grades reflect the improved A-level grades of those entering university and a more focused attention to studying.

　　但也有人认为，这反映了对大学生入学成绩的要求的提高，以及对学生学习质量的要求的提高。

　　Between 2010-11 and 2015-16, the University of Surrey increased its proportion of first-class degrees awarded, from 19% to 41%.

　　在2010到2011年和2015到2016年间，萨里大学的一等学位的比例，从19%提高到41%。

　　Prof Jane Powell, the university’s vice-provost, said it "reflects a combination of national trends and the University of Surrey’s concentrated focus on enhancing all aspects of our educational provision".

　　该校副教务长简·鲍威尔教授说，这也反映了国家发展的整体趋势，萨里大学非常注重教育的各个方面的的提高。

　　"It is very pleasing to see this high level of commitment by both staff and students translating into excellent degree results, the rigorous standards of which are confirmed by external independent assurance processes."

　　“看到老师和学生的努力没有白费，最终能拿到好的学位，这是非常令人高兴的。这些标准都十分严格，有专门的认证程序。”

　　Imperial College has the highest proportion of firsts among mainstream universities.

　　帝国理工学院在这些大学中所占比例最高。

　　A spokeswoman said this reflected the very high entry grades required to get a place at such a top-ranking institution.

　　一位女发言人表示，要进入这样一流的大学中需要的很高的入学成绩。

　　Highest proportions of first-class degrees in mainstream universities

　　一流大学的一等学位最高比例

　　Imperial College London 41.8%

　　伦敦帝国学院的41.8%

　　University of Surrey 41.2%

　　萨里大学的41.2%

　　University College London 35.6%

　　伦敦大学学院的35.6%

　　University of Dundee 34.8%

　　邓迪大学的34.8%

　　University of East Anglia 34%

　　东安格利亚大学34%

　　University of Oxford 33.2%

　　牛津大学的33.2%

　　King’s College London 31.9%

　　伦敦国王学院的31.9%

　　University of Cambridge 31.7%

　　剑桥大学31.7%

　　University of Bath 30.8%

　　英国巴斯大学30.8%

　　University of Salford 30.4%

　　索尔福德大学30.4%

　　Biggest increases in first-class degrees in mainstream universities 2010-11 to 2015-16

　　2010年至2015年，一流大学的一等学位的增幅最大

　　University of Surrey 19.3% to 41.2%

　　萨里大学19.3%到41.2%

　　University of East Anglia 12.5% to 34%

　　东英吉利大学12.5%至34%

　　University of Bradford 10.3% to 27.6%

　　布拉德福德大学10.3%至27.6%

　　University of Stirling 11.6% to 27.8%

　　斯特林大学11.6%至27.8%

　　University of Derby 9.4% to 25%

　　德比大学占9.4%至25%

　　University of Dundee 19.3% to 34.8%

　　邓迪大学19.3%至34.8%

　　University of West London 11.6% to 27%

　　西伦敦大学11.6%到27%

　　University of Wales Trinity Saint David 7.1% to 22.2%

　　威尔士大学三一圣大卫7.1%至22.2%

　　Southampton Solent University 8.6% to 23.5%

　　南安普顿索伦特大学 8.6%到23.5%

　　Staffordshire University 12.2% to 27%

　　斯塔福德郡大学 12.2%至27%