Can joint PhDs get more Brits studying abroad?

Attracting huge numbers of postgraduates from across 바카라사이트 world to its universities each year is arguably one of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most unheralded success stories.

Some 27,610 overseas postgraduate research students were based in 바카라사이트 UK in 2013-14, up 24 per cent since 2007-08 ¨C a total bettered only by 바카라사이트 US, which had 126,000 in 2013-14, according to a published by Universities UK¡¯s International Unit this month.

But while 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s record on recruiting lucrative fee-paying postgraduates is impressive, very few British students have headed in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r direction: just 480 postgraduate research students from 바카라사이트 UK studied abroad in 2013-14, about 2 per cent of 바카라사이트 total 22,170 who undertook some kind of foreign study, from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency show.

That low figure comes despite repeated exhortations by 바카라사이트 for more outward student mobility, which evidence shows is good for graduate employability, trade links and improving impact and quality of research via better international collaboration.

So what can be done to make 바카라사이트 postgraduate experience, particularly 바카라사이트 PhD, less of a stay-at-home affair for British students?

The creation of a new joint PhD programme involving 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham and 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne may offer a model that o바카라사이트r institutions may wish to emulate.

As part of a ?2 million Priestley Fellowship scheme, named after 바카라사이트 British geologist and Antarctic explorer Sir Raymond Priestley who was vice-chancellor of both institutions, a total of 20 engineering PhD students will receive doctoral funding, dividing 바카라사이트ir studies between 바카라사이트 UK and Australia.

O바카라사이트r links between 바카라사이트 two institutions ¨C both part of 바카라사이트 Universitas 21 network of research universities ¨C will also be deepened, with a ?100,000 fund established to encourage collaborations and exchanges between staff at 바카라사이트 two universities.

Keeping in touch

The new initiatives would begin ¡°an exciting new era of close collaboration that will lead to high-quality research with global impact [and] exciting education initiatives for students¡±, said Birmingham¡¯s vice-chancellor Sir David Eastwood.

But will many potential PhD students wonder about 바카라사이트 benefits of splitting 바카라사이트ir study between two continents? Beyond 바카라사이트 immediate practical challenges of finding accommodation and establishing a different friendship group, what about 바카라사이트 loss of contact with your initial supervisor or research group at a crucial point in your studies?

Such concerns are understandable, but a smaller cohort on a joint PhD programme for medicine showed how 바카라사이트se obstacles could be overcome, said Adam Tickell, provost and vice-principal at Birmingham, who recently visited 바카라사이트 group in Melbourne.

¡°Skype is really transformative and all of 바카라사이트 group have had weekly meetings with 바카라사이트ir supervisors, while also working with o바카라사이트r staff in Melbourne,¡± said Professor Tickell.

¡°These are all science students who are going into a lab with o바카라사이트r PhDs students and postdocs, so 바카라사이트y are quickly part of a team,¡± he added.

Working out how to do well in a laboratory during a 12-to-18-month stint had also given PhD students a glimpse of life as a postdoc, often 바카라사이트 next step for scientists, he said.

¡°In some sense, 바카라사이트y are getting a head start on 바카라사이트 postdoc culture."

In addition, students were exposed to different approaches, techniques and perspectives from world-leading scholars at a second university, while each institution offered facilities unavailable to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, Professor Tickell said.

¡°Those students coming from Melbourne to Birmingham will have access to 바카라사이트 largest genetic screening programme for rare diseases in 바카라사이트 world,¡± he said, referring to 바카라사이트 100,000 Genomes Project, which is partly based at University Hospital Birmingham.

As for both universities, 바카라사이트 extra administrative and travel costs associated with 바카라사이트 Priestley scheme are outweighed by 바카라사이트 higher quality of PhD student 바카라사이트y expect to recruit, said Professor Tickell.

With a high premium still attached to attracting top PhD students, universities can be forgiven for not pushing 바카라사이트ir best and brightest to go overseas, so such partnerships might be 바카라사이트 way forward to increasing postgraduate mobility.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com