<p>Hi guys -</p>
<p>I was wondering how you would say the University of Glasgow and Trinity College Dublin compare?</p>
<p>I'll be visiting the two cities soon, so I'm particularly interested in the academics and reputation.</p>
<p>Thanks,
rman</p>
<p>Here in Britain Glasgow is very well respected, TCD (whilst i know it to be a prestigious university) is not nearly as well known to the average person on the street. It really depends on who you’re asking and for what subject. I’m guessing in the US TCD is considered ‘better’ but in Europe they’d be about level.</p>
<p>Thanks Dionysus - that’s interesting to hear.</p>
<p>Would anyone else like to chip in? I’m actually from the UK, and I’m particularly interested in the US perspective.</p>
<p>I’m from the US, but study in the UK, and I’d pretty much agree with Dionysus, though I’d perhaps say that in the US, most people won’t really have heard of either university. I think also, the TCD might be slightly more prestigious in Europe; it is one of (if not the) top universities in Ireland.</p>
<p>All in all though, it’ll come down to what you want to study.</p>
<p>The University of Glasgow definitely has a better reputation, especially in the UK. :)</p>
<p>My D is considering studing abroad at Glasgow Spring of 2011. can anyone tell me what the weather is like there from Jan thur May?</p>
<p>^^miserable
Trinity Dublin is considered better by reputation in the US. Also - and this is stereotyping at its most simplistic - you will have infinitely more fun in Dublin with the happy Irish than in Glasgow with the dour Scotts. Also in reality Dublin is an amazingly vibrant city that has a very cosmopolitan feel so that is another plus.</p>
<p>Dublin is far more expensive, but a much better university.</p>
<p>People in the US will have heard of Dublin, but not Glasgow uni.</p>
<p>The UK is extremely insular: most people in the UK know nothing about Ireland, in particular. In the UK, Glasgow is likely to be better known.</p>
<p>TCD is not a much better university than Glasgow. As for the British being insular, that is just pure ignorance. Do you have any basis at all for these ridiculous assertions?</p>
<p>Sure – think about it, Ireland is an English speaking country right next door to the UK.</p>
<p>But how much does the average British person know about Ireland? Could they name the Irish president? PM? What about the major political parties? What about locate the major cities on a map? Do you see any coverage of Ireland on the news? (Excepting the NI crisis and maybe the financial crash).</p>
<p>Now compare that to how much the Irish know about the UK.</p>
<p>Sure I can see the explanation (size difference), but the UK is extremely insular.</p>
1 Like
<p>I cant tell you what the average person knows, if such a person even exists. But for purposes of edification let us assume i am one such average Briton. I know the president is Mary McAleese and can name four cities (Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick). Sure, that isn’t a huge amount; but its a lot more than most Americans know on this board, i am sure. </p>
<p>I wonder how many Americans can name the PM or even the capital city of Canada? Not many, i imagine. It’s very rich of you to accuse Britain of insularity when the US is the most insular country in the world.</p>
<p>You are making an assumption about me that is not justified.</p>
<p>So let me get this straight. There is a country just across a land and short water border from you that speaks the same language. But you can’t name the prime minister, and you can only name four cities. Could you find those four cities on an unmarked map?</p>
<p>You are horribly ignorant about your nearest neighbour. Answer me this: how do you think that compares to the amount of knowledge the average Irish person has about the UK?</p>
<p>Oh and can you tell me what the captial city of Canada is?</p>
<p>Oh, and do you have any evidence that the US is the most insular country in the world? Really? Not North Korea? Not Turkmenistan?</p>
<p>If you are representative of the common Briton, then I stand by my claim that the UK is very insular.</p>
<p>And yes, to the OP: to people in the US, TCD is very prestigious. But they are unlikely to have heard of Glasgow Uni (though they will have heard of the city). Just like they won’t have heard of Imperial, though they will have heard of London.</p>
<p>Why should i be aware of Irelands prime minister? I know its head of state. I’m sure the Irish are just as ignorant of Peter Mandelson as i am their PM. As for the cities, four out of five major cities isn’t bad; and yes i could find them on an unmarked map. Yes i know what the Canadian capital is, but as you so eloquently put it, do their nearest English speaking neighbours? I’m guessing not.</p>
<p>The US is in my opinion, the most insular country in the world. I know Americans who don’t know what the EU is, are unaware the cold war is over and who think democracy was invented, and only exists in America. It’s major news channels cover virtually no international news that doesn’t directly impact the US, indeed ABCs World News is all about America. How many Americans speak foreign languages? How many regularly go abroad? How many read foreign publications like Le Monde, The Guardian and Die Welt? Hardly any.</p>
<p>So before you call other countries insular, take a long hard look at your own.</p>
<p>I repeat, you are making an assumption about me that isn’t justified.</p>
<p>Ignoring your colossal ignorance not only of Ireland but of your own country (the British head of state isn’t Gordon Brown … you not knowing who the Irish PM is like would be like an Irishman not knowing who Gordon Brown is… likely?) I fail to see why you think this point is relevant.</p>
<p>Yes, America is insular. Though the evidence you give for it is pretty weak–lame cliches about what Americans ‘think’ and whether they read one of a very narrow selection of European newspapers … you are demonstrating a weird branch of Euro-insularity, thinking that the only foreign countries that matter are European ones … do you read the Asahi Shimbun? How many British people do?</p>
<p>Even supposing America is insular, what does that have to do with whether Britain is insular? Britain is horribly insular, as you are amply demonstrating in this thread.</p>
<p>What is the capital of Canada?</p>
<p>I am loathe to reply to your cretinous posts anymore when you clearly aren’t able to read, or understand what i have said. I have not made any assumptions about you personally, nor am i guilty of not understanding the Irish, or my own political system. The Irish president and head of state is Mary McAleese, who i know. The Taoiseach (or prime minister) is not the head of state; hence why i made the analogy that the Irish are probably as ignorant of Peter Mandelson (Britain’s de facto deputy PM) as i am of Brian Cowen, their PM (whose job is not the same as Browns, but Mandelsons).</p>
<p>I used those three examples because they’re some of most widely read English, French and German language publications. Of course i dont read Asahi Shimbun, like most people in the world i dont speak Japanese. </p>
<p>If you’re going to ask such childish things ill give you a childish answer, the capital of Canada is C.</p>
<p>You have still failed to identify the incorrect assumption you’re making about me.</p>
<p>But let me help you, since you’re stupid. I’m not American.</p>
<p>Actually if you read back you’ll see i said no such thing. Again and again you’re demonstrating your idiocy. Now are you going to answer any of my points or not? I’ve had enough of having to correct your mistakes</p>
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<p>You were saying?</p>
<p>Oh my goodness, are you really so stupid?! Clearly that first quote was in reference to this board, it is American right? As for the second… i didn’t know what country you’re from (hence why i specified NONE), but i was, and am still willing to bet its just as insular if not more so than Britain.</p>
<p>Let me give some more context for the second quote…</p>
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<p>I think that speaks for itself.</p>