Cambridge to change degree system?

The Telegraph has revealed that the University is planning to phase out the current 1st/2.i/2.ii/3rd system with a US-style GPA system in an attempt to stem grade inflation.

Professor Graham Virgo, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education, told The Telegraph that "There is a general sense of dissatisfaction with the blunt tool of the traditional classes."

Professor Virgo is interested in a collaborative approach: "I think this is something that has to be done across the sector. You cannot have an individual institution going off by itself." It appears that a "hybrid system", standardised across all Universities in the UK, would be beneficial to employers as grades could be compared like-for-like.

The current classification system is known to be open to abuse with Universities being accused of "massaging" figures to prevent students from failing or underperforming with the aim of increasing the overall grade average.

According to Universities UK, 27% of UK tertiary institutions are considering a move to a GPA-based system. So it seems likely that in the future you'll be celebrating a 4.0 on the class lists rather than a 1st.