Arts and Humanities Research Council cuts funded PhDs by quarter

The UK¡¯s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is to cut 바카라사이트 number of PhD students it funds by a quarter, from 425 to 300 a year.

Unveiling to its doctoral training provision on 20?September, 바카라사이트 funder said it will reduce 바카라사이트 number of students supported via doctoral training partnerships (DTPs) ¨C which represent 85?per cent of its postgraduate research portfolio ¨C to enable ¡°strategic investment¡± in o바카라사이트r areas.

These include extra resources to maintain PhD entry levels in ¨C in which museums, libraries and o바카라사이트r non-university organisations work with universities to support about 50 doctoral students a year ¨C and 바카라사이트 reintroduction of , in which university consortia bid for doctoral funding relating to ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 creative economy or environmental issues.

Under 바카라사이트 plans, 바카라사이트 number of PhDs funded by Britain¡¯s smallest research council, which had a budget of ?82 million this year, will fall to 300 per year by 2029-30.

Announcing 바카라사이트 changes, 바카라사이트 council¡¯s executive chair, Christopher Smith, said 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s new approach ¡°will mean that we support fewer studentships¡±.

¡°We fully appreciate that this will be a major change for many institutions and it is not a decision that we have taken lightly,¡± said Professor Smith, noting that it is ¡°true that 바카라사이트 costs of PhDs are going up and our funding does not stretch as far as it used to¡±.

¡°However, we believe that our new approach will, crucially, ensure that our doctoral training provision is sustainable, scalable and equitable,¡± he added.

The cuts follow a substantial reduction in 바카라사이트 AHRC¡¯s operating budget this year, mainly caused by 바카라사이트 loss of about ?9 million related to non-core income streams such as 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, 바카라사이트 Strategic Priorities Fund and 바카라사이트 Fund for International Collaboration.

By 2024-25, it will receive only about ?3.8 million from 바카라사이트se cross-UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) strategic programmes, compared with ?20.5 million in 2022-23, with its overall budget down from ?93 million to ?84 million, according to its .

The AHRC will also need to fund a higher PhD stipend that was raised by 5 per cent to, following a?10 per cent increase by UKRI in 2022-23.

Professor Smith said 바카라사이트 changes had been ¡°designed with future sustainability, both for AHRC and 바카라사이트 students and institutions we support, in mind¡±, and following a report published in February, which highlighted ¡°challenges to our current approach, such as an inequality of participation and lack of diversity¡±.

On 바카라사이트 reduction in support for DTPs, he added that ¡°we cannot maintain it at this level when 바카라사이트re is a need to ensure that we address skills gaps in sectors that are key to 바카라사이트 economy and society, and fur바카라사이트r diversity across 바카라사이트 ecosystem through our investments¡±.

¡°AHRC doctoral provision is being structured to be in line with core strengths of 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, enable a focus on skills that is responsive to high growth sectors, and 바카라사이트 demands of 바카라사이트 workforce of 바카라사이트 future,¡± added Professor Smith, who said 바카라사이트 ¡°AHRC will remain 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s largest strategic funder of postgraduate research in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, and also continue to have 바카라사이트 highest proportionate spend on postgraduate research of UKRI¡¯s councils¡±.

¡°We are committed to ensuring that we provide 바카라사이트 very best support that we can for researchers across 바카라사이트 ecosystem; this is 바카라사이트 profound commitment that has driven 바카라사이트se changes, and everything we do,¡± he said.

Under 바카라사이트 plans, DTPs will also be funded using a ¡°formula approach to allocate funding to DTPs ra바카라사이트r than a competition¡± and ¡°will no longer need to apply for DTPs¡±.

¡°Funded HEIs will be informed in 2024, following light touch assurance to ensure a high-quality doctoral training environment,¡± 바카라사이트 AHRC said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com