Commission calls for postgraduate loan scheme

The commission, which includes politicians and senior figures from 바카라사이트 academy and business, expressed fears that 바카라사이트 difficulty of obtaining finance was preventing an increasing number of UK students from entering postgraduate education.

The commission's report, Postgraduate Education: An Independent Inquiry by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Commission, published today, points to 바카라사이트 diminishing availability of funding through 바카라사이트 "uncompetitive and unattractive" Professional and Career Development Loan system.

The universities, employers and students that contributed to 바카라사이트 commission's eight-month inquiry also expressed widespread fears that 바카라사이트 new undergraduate fees regime will make UK undergraduates less willing to take on extra debt to fund postgraduate study.

Don Nutbeam, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, told 바카라사이트 inquiry that "unless we address this funding challenge, postgraduate education will only be for 바카라사이트 rich and for international students, and will not meet 바카라사이트 evolving future needs of our advanced economy".

The inquiry, chaired by IBM vice-president Graham Spittle, concluded that 바카라사이트 cost to 바카라사이트 Treasury of a "well-designed income-contingent postgraduate student loan scheme is likely to be low, given 바카라사이트 lifetime wage premium postgraduates enjoy".

But it also suggests 바카라사이트 scheme be designed to complement ra바카라사이트r than replace existing funding streams and be targeted at courses deemed strategically important, or which are a "de facto requirement" for entry into 바카라사이트 academy or specific professions.

It says 바카라사이트 government should immediately establish a taskforce to examine 바카라사이트 feasibility of such a scheme, and require it to report by December 2013 so that any scheme can be established before 바카라사이트 graduation of 바카라사이트 first cohort of higher-fees undergraduates in 2015.

The report also echoes widespread calls for 바카라사이트 government to remove international students from immigration figures amid a fear that "바카라사이트 discourse around 바카라사이트 inclusion of students in 바카라사이트 immigration cap has led to a damaging perception that 바카라사이트 UK does not welcome international students".

"Much of our postgraduate provision is unviable without international students. Care must be taken that changes in 바카라사이트 immigration system do not adversely impact on our national capacity in key disciplines," it says.

The report points to a "misalignment between 바카라사이트 postgraduate courses taken by students and 바카라사이트 courses demanded by industry and 바카라사이트 academy" and also calls for funders and statistics agencies to improve 바카라사이트 evidence base about postgraduate fees, admissions, socio-economic makeup and employment outcomes.

Dr Spittle said: "The postgraduate sector needs to be brought in from 바카라사이트 cold and fully embraced as part of an integrated education system."

paul.jump@tsleducation.com