British academics launch private university in London

 

The 14 professors behind the project include evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins

A new British university aiming to rival Oxford and Cambridge has been launched by leading academics. New College of the Humanities (NCH) will offer the "highest-quality" education to "gifted" undergraduates, its creators say. The privately-owned London-based college will open in September 2012 and is planning to charge fees of £18,000.

The 14 professors involved include biologist Richard Dawkins and historian Sir David Cannadine. Professor Dawkins is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, as well as being the author of The God Delusion, and Sir David is a professor at Princeton University in the United States. Based in Bloomsbury, central London, the new college will offer eight undergraduate humanities degrees taught by some of the world's most prominent intellectuals, officials said. Professor AC Grayling, the philosopher who will be the college's first Master, secured millions of pounds of funding from investors to set up the institution. He said: "Our priorities at the college will be excellent teaching quality, excellent ratios of teachers to students, and a strongly supportive and responsive learning environment. "Our students will be challenged to develop as skilled, informed and reflective thinkers, and will receive an education to match that aspiration."

Prof Grayling is a professor of philosophy at Birkbeck College, University of London, and a fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford. The college will prepare undergraduates for degrees in law, economics, history, philosophy and English literature. Students will also take three "intellectual skills" modules in science literacy, logic and critical thinking and applied ethics. The college claims to offer a "new model of higher education for the humanities in the UK".

Students can apply immediately and assisted places will be offered to 20% of the first year's intake. The government has set fees in England's public universities at a maximum of £9,000 from September next year.

Source: BBC [accessed 5/6/2011]