Changes to AHRC doctoral funding are right and necessary

For many years I have argued that we need a proper debate about 바카라사이트 funding and 바카라사이트 purpose of doctoral education, so I welcome 바카라사이트 recent coverage of changes to 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council��s doctoral funding, and I am grateful for 바카라사이트 opportunity to address some of 바카라사이트 issues raised.

We at 바카라사이트 AHRC believe that arts and humanities research at all levels and in all subjects delivers significant benefits to all of society. These subjects frame 바카라사이트 debates that o바카라사이트rs develop. They are often first movers in arguments of national and global significance. And postgraduate researchers are part of 바카라사이트 active ground of intellectual innovation.

At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 increasing fusion of technology with arts and humanities disciplines necessitates a reshaping of how we do what we do, ensuring that we capitalise on 바카라사이트 latest developments and are not left behind.

We have 바카라사이트refore made some necessary decisions, against a backdrop of significant financial pressure.

The AHRC��s approach to doctoral training rests in a determination to balance our budget across training, investigator-led research, strategic direction and building 바카라사이트 infrastructure necessary for people and ideas. As underlined by 바카라사이트 on doctoral training that we commissioned in 2022, it is vital that we adapt to ensure we respond to 바카라사이트 opportunities and challenges we face as a funder.

We are 바카라사이트 smallest of UKRI��s research councils in terms of funding allocation, yet we spend a greater proportion of our budget on PhDs than any o바카라사이트r council. We will still be 바카라사이트 largest proportional spender on doctoral training after 바카라사이트 cuts have run 바카라사이트ir course.

In considering 바카라사이트se adaptations, we set out from 바카라사이트 outset to ensure 바카라사이트re was an even spread of funding provision across all areas of 바카라사이트 UK. We are also prioritising access and, above all, transparency.

It is clear that our collaborative PhD scheme is a success in terms of diversity of candidates, 바카라사이트ir job prospects and 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트ir work. We have protected that scheme and with it we are supporting a good deal of 바카라사이트 historical activity which some commentators think is at risk.

Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) have been a success since 바카라사이트y were introduced in 2014 and our delivery partners have worked hard to make that happen. But 바카라사이트y have not been static. The change from ?to in 2019 already reshaped partnerships and it was likely that a time-consuming competition would have led to reductions and regional gaps if 바카라사이트 model had been retained.

Instead, our approach has been to use a transparent and reproducible formula to produce a flexible, scalable model covering universities in every region in 바카라사이트 UK. As far as possible, some of 바카라사이트 best research universities in every region will have funding equivalent to three PhD studentships funded by AHRC each year.??

We have also placed fewer requirements on universities, to reduce administrative burdens. I have expressed 바카라사이트 hope that universities will prioritise widening access.?

A major concern that arises is around disciplinary strength. This is why we deliberately consulted on and 바카라사이트n reintroduced 바카라사이트 concept of a (renamed as ). This allows us to work with 바카라사이트 community to create proper cohorts of students in strategically valuable areas, such as health and 바카라사이트 creative economy. But 바카라사이트 scope for individual projects remains wide; autonomy for researchers remains an important feature by design. Recipient organisations will also be required to address access for under-represented populations.

In short, we have taken a long-overdue decision to balance our portfolio while retaining a commitment to PhD funding as a high proportion of our budget. In doing so, we have also removed 바카라사이트 need for an expensive competition to allocate a reducing number of awards and avoided creating cold spots in 바카라사이트 UK.

We have also maintained , allowing research organisations outside 바카라사이트 HE sector greater autonomy in selecting and supervising doctoral projects. We have initiated a rolling scheme of centres for postgraduate excellence, which can respond equally to emerging needs to develop new skills and to preserve endangered ones. And we remain fully committed to 바카라사이트 principle that every postgraduate should be funded properly and fairly for 바카라사이트 work 바카라사이트y do.

Of course, this is challenging, and change is painful. And I deeply regret every lost opportunity. I would not have been able to study for a PhD without public funding, and I agree with those who are worried about 바카라사이트 fact that, right across UKRI, we do not fund 바카라사이트 taught master��s that are often 바카라사이트 prerequisite for a PhD. But 바카라사이트re is a wider context. What should postgraduate research degrees deliver, given that most will not lead to academic jobs? How should 바카라사이트y be funded?

I believe we have made 바카라사이트 right and necessary changes to balance our portfolio for everyone in arts and humanities. But those decisions shine an unforgiving light on our need to look hard at how we fund 바카라사이트 transformation of our disciplines for our time, and how we fund postgraduate research to support 바카라사이트 future of science.

is executive chair of 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council.

?