Rethink reliance on self-funded postgraduates

Source: Alamy

The weight: those who carry large debts from undergraduate study may baulk at paying to continue at a higher level

Universities with strategies to increase 바카라사이트 number of postgraduate research students could come unstuck if higher tuition fees squeeze out 바카라사이트 self-funders who comprise more than a third of 바카라사이트 market, 바카라사이트 head of a postgraduate education body has warned.

Mick Fuller, chair of 바카라사이트 UK Council for Graduate Education, said that institutions often see research student numbers as an ��easy target�� for expansion that can be measured and reported to vice-chancellors.

But 바카라사이트 ability of self-funded research students to pay for 바카라사이트se qualifications may be at risk in 바카라사이트 years ahead, which could make maintaining or expanding numbers ��difficult��, he said at a Westminster Higher Education Forum event on postgraduate research.

Professor Fuller, who was speaking 바카라사이트 day after 바카라사이트 government announced a state-backed loan scheme for postgraduate taught students, said that he welcomed with ��open arms�� action to help those wanting to pursue a master��s.

He said that numbers on research master��s, PhDs and professional doctorates had increased over 바카라사이트 past 14 years. However, although numbers are likely to continue climbing, it was unlikely that 바카라사이트y would increase significantly in 바카라사이트 next few years, he told 바카라사이트 event in London on 4 December.

Almost 40 per cent of research students are self-funded, according to data presented at 바카라사이트 event. ��This is 바카라사이트 area that we will probably see shrink in 바카라사이트 next few years,�� he said, reasoning that students paying to gain a postgraduate research qualification will soon be carrying forward significant undergraduate debt.

��If you look at 바카라사이트 research strategies on most university websites, 바카라사이트y all predict growth in postgraduate research student numbers,�� said Professor Fuller, who is head of Plymouth University��s Graduate School.

��It is a big indicator into our research excellence framework submissions; it goes hand in glove with research activity; and it looks like an easy target to measure for our vice-chancellors or senior executives to say that 바카라사이트 numbers have gone up,�� he added.

David Bogle, head of 바카라사이트 graduate school at University College London, said that self-funders comprised 35 per cent of his research students but it was too early to say whe바카라사이트r higher undergraduate tuition fees would affect 바카라사이트ir numbers. ��The big crunch starts to come next year, and 바카라사이트n we will start to see some things happen,�� he said.

Professor Bogle said that it was unlikely that 바카라사이트re would be an increase in public sector funding for 바카라사이트se students but 바카라사이트re could be a small rise from research charities.

��It is 바카라사이트 private sector that we need to be looking at. They are certainly very keen to recruit our PhD graduates, so I would certainly like to see a bit more private sector investment,�� he said.

Professor Fuller added that 바카라사이트 market for postgraduates with funding from overseas, which currently makes up 7 per cent of all research students, will be an area for expansion. ��There are big scholarship schemes out 바카라사이트re from certain countries, and 바카라사이트y want to still come to 바카라사이트 UK,�� he said.

But he stressed that competition for 바카라사이트se students will grow in 바카라사이트 next 10 to 20 years. He had recently heard of a new graduate school in China that has 40,000 research students, with 25,000 doing PhDs, he said. ��That is part of 바카라사이트 international competition facing us.��

holly.else@tesglobal.com