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Exam guide & reading text

C2 Paper 01 — Essay: Read the two texts about the purpose of university education — Writing

"C2 Paper 01 — Essay: Read the two texts about the purpose of university education" is a C2 Proficiency Writing practice task (Essay). Cambridge assesses content, communicative achievement, organisation and language on a scale from 0 to 5 per criterion. Plan before you write: identify the target reader, the required register and the number of points you must address. At C2, examiners expect sophisticated vocabulary used accurately, varied sentence structures and clear paragraphing.

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How should I approach this C2 writing task?

Plan the Essay before writing, address every prompt point, keep the expected register, respect the word limit, and use feedback to improve content, organisation, grammar range, and vocabulary precision.

Task prompt

Write an essay summarising and evaluating the key points in both texts. Integrate the arguments rather than discussing the texts separately, and use your own ideas to explain how universities should balance intellectual breadth with preparation for employment.

Word limit: 280 words

Input texts

Education Beyond Employment

Universities are increasingly judged by how quickly their graduates enter well-paid work, yet this measure captures only part of their purpose. Advanced study should also develop intellectual independence, historical awareness and the capacity to question accepted assumptions. These qualities may not lead directly to a first job, but they help people adapt when industries change and participate thoughtfully in public life. Courses that become narrow training programmes risk preparing students for current vacancies while leaving them poorly equipped for unfamiliar problems. Employability matters, but it is strengthened rather than weakened by a broad education.

A Clearer Economic Duty

Students often invest substantial time and money in higher education, so institutions cannot treat employment outcomes as a secondary concern. Programmes should provide current technical knowledge, experience of real workplaces and honest information about the opportunities attached to different qualifications. This need not eliminate wider learning, but it does require universities to distinguish essential intellectual breadth from traditions that survive mainly because departments prefer them. When public funds and personal debt are involved, vague promises of personal growth are insufficient. A university fulfils its social role partly by enabling graduates to build secure and productive lives.

Assessment criteria

  • Content: All points addressed with relevant detail and examples.
  • Communicative achievement: Appropriate register and tone for the target reader.
  • Organisation: Clear paragraphing with cohesive devices linking ideas.
  • Language: Wide range of vocabulary and structures used with control and accuracy.