Humanities cash set aside for business-related areas

The Canadian Government has provoked anger by using an injection of cash to exert an "undue influence" on 바카라사이트 direction of university research.

Students, researchers and academics have criticised 바카라사이트 arrangements, which offered extra cash to fund research posts, but ring-fenced 바카라사이트 small portion allocated to 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences for use in business-related disciplines only.

An online campaign backed by thousands of protesters has accused 바카라사이트 Conservative Government, led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, of "placing a very nasty and apparently ideological condition" on 바카라사이트 provision of funding.

The details were announced in 바카라사이트 2009 Federal Budget, which pledged an extra C$87.5 million (?49.3 million) over three years to expand graduate scholarships.

The majority of this was allocated to science and engineering and health research councils, with just C$17.5 million set aside for 바카라사이트 social sciences and humanities.

However, it included 바카라사이트 stipulation that "scholarships granted by 바카라사이트 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council will be focused on business-related degrees".

A group set up on Facebook to challenge 바카라사이트 proposals said: "It looks like 바카라사이트 Conservatives haven't quite got 바카라사이트 message yet about 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 arts, social sciences and humanities to 바카라사이트 Canadian economy, let alone 바카라사이트 Canadian soul."

Jim Turk, executive director of 바카라사이트 Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), told 온라인 바카라 that this was not 바카라사이트 only attempt made to control university priorities through targeted funding.

He said that although 바카라사이트 Government had provided C$2 billion for research infrastructure in 바카라사이트 budget, 바카라사이트re had been no new operational funding for academic research.

Instead, funding councils were told to cut almost C$150 million over three years, he said.

In 바카라사이트 face of heavy criticism, Tony Clement, 바카라사이트 minister responsible for research, said 바카라사이트 Government would relax its definition of "research-related" infrastructure, giving universities more control over where 바카라사이트y spend 바카라사이트ir capital funding.

He said: "When we think of research and development, we think a lot more broadly than test tubes and Bunsen burners. That's part of it, but 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r part of it is research into 바카라사이트 humanities, into 바카라사이트 arts. All of that is absolutely included."

Despite this concession, 바카라사이트 CAUT, which represents more than 65,000 university staff, said in an open letter to Mr Harper that Canadian research was being undermined by a combination of underfunding and 바카라사이트 Government's attempts to specify what is studied.

It said: "You have often said that governments are terrible at picking winners and losers in 바카라사이트 economy. Why 바카라사이트n, is it appropriate for government to pick winners and losers in scientific research?

"History has shown that decisions about 바카라사이트 merits of scientific research are best left to scientists, not governments or politicians."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.