Top British university tells students to snub tradition to accommodate foreign students

Instead of using “traditional St Andrews terms” to refer to students in specific years, undergraduates are instructed to describe themselves as first-year students or second-year student and so on – just like every other university.

But, at the centuries-old institution, tradition dictates that first-years are known as bejantes and second-years are known as Semis.

Meanwhile, a student in their third year would be a Tertian, and those in their final years would be a Magistrand.

The terms are not to be used “unless the historical or ceremonial term is directly relevant”.

The style guide adds that, if students need to include the traditional term, they must explain it in “plain English” on its first use.

Lord Toby Young, the director of Free Speech Union, criticised the guide for shaving away at its unique traditions for the sake of its international clientele.

The Conservative peer told GB News: “Surely, the reason international students flock to St Andrew’s is because they love all the quirky, eccentric traditions.

“It’s like Hogwarts for young adults.

If you strip away all these traditions, it will lose its charm. You might as well call it St Andrew’s Polly and have done with it.”

The same guide also tells its students to avoid using the 12-hour clock in favour of a 24-hour one.

“Use the 24-hour clock for pages primarily aimed at international users,” the manual says, without giving a reason as to why.

During the academic year of 2024 to 2025, around 45 per cent of the university’s student population come from overseas, from more than 120 countries.

In its wider bid to include diversity, St Andrews also released a document educating pupils on pronoun usage for transgender and non-binary students.

In it, the university boasts that it is a “beacon of inclusivity” due to being a world-class and “truly international” institution.

Last week, the University of Oxford advised staff to ditch everyday expressions such as “learn the ropes” and “find your feet”, warning they could confuse international students.

Like St Andrews, the university’s official style guide recommends replacing familiar phrases with simpler alternatives, as part of its guidance on inclusive language and clear written communication.

The advice also cautions against using the word “blindspots”, and suggests using “gaps in knowledge” instead.

Staff are encouraged to replace gender-specific terms such as “spokesman”, “chairwoman” and “mankind” with “spokesperson”, “chair” and “humankind”, respectively.

GB News has approached the University of St Andrews for comment.