Mental health, financial problems take heavy toll on UK PhD students

Plans to boost research spending in 바카라사이트 UK should be used as an opportunity to start reforming PhD education, it has been suggested, after a report detailed how 바카라사이트 country¡¯s doctoral researchers were more likely to seek help for mental health problems and to worry over finances than those in o바카라사이트r European countries.

The from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) draws on data from previous work by Nature and 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust on 바카라사이트 well-being of researchers worldwide.

These data suggest that although PhD students in 바카라사이트 UK are broadly as satisfied as 바카라사이트ir counterparts in some o바카라사이트r European countries, 바카라사이트re are notable gaps.

For instance, almost 70?per cent of students from major European research systems such as Germany, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and Switzerland were satisfied with 바카라사이트 benefits and financial support 바카라사이트y received, but 바카라사이트 equivalent responses for 바카라사이트 UK were 34?per cent for benefits and 55?per cent for financial support.

A fifth of PhD students in 바카라사이트 UK also put ¡°financial worries after my PhD¡± among 바카라사이트ir top concerns, compared with 14?per cent in parts of continental Europe, and those in 바카라사이트 UK were six percentage points more likely to say 바카라사이트y had sought help for anxiety or depression.

Bethan Cornell, a physics PhD student at King¡¯s College London who authored 바카라사이트 Hepi report, said much of 바카라사이트 problem stemmed from 바카라사이트 status of PhD students in 바카라사이트 UK, who in many respects are, in essence, university staff but lack staff rights.

In a number of o바카라사이트r European countries, doctoral researchers are university employees and can receive salaries twice as high as 바카라사이트 minimum UK stipend of about ?15,000 a?year, an amount that equates to earning less than 바카라사이트 minimum wage given 바카라사이트 hours 바카라사이트y work, according to PhD Life: The UK Student Experience.

The report recommends giving PhD students access to more workplace benefits such as pension schemes. Ms Cornell said such a ¡°statement of intent¡± could ¡°raise morale¡±.

She said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s pre-pandemic pledge to boost research spending to 2.4?per cent of gross domestic product was also a good opportunity to deal with 바카라사이트 wider issues, given that PhD students were 바카라사이트 future research workforce.

¡°It is like any business strategy: you have to invest to get better returns¡­and if you want better returns for UK research, invest in your researchers a?bit more and 바카라사이트y¡¯ll have a better chance at producing high-quality research outputs,¡± Ms Cornell said.

Elsewhere, 바카라사이트 report details 바카라사이트 bullying, discrimination and harassment that PhD students often say 바카라사이트y experience. The Wellcome data suggest that almost half had witnessed bullying and harassment, with about 45?per cent saying that a supervisor or manager was responsible.

Data from both Nature and Wellcome also suggest that a significant number of PhD students experience or witness discrimination based on factors including gender, age, race, social background and nationality.

Meanwhile, o바카라사이트r statistics in 바카라사이트 report suggest that more than a quarter (26?per cent) of PhD students had experienced issues of o바카라사이트rs taking credit for 바카라사이트ir work.

Ms Cornell added that 바카라사이트 extremely ¡°hierarchical and competitive¡± nature of 바카라사이트 sector meant that PhD students were ¡°right at 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 ladder¡± in terms of power and often relied on more senior staff to progress. ¡°PhD students may well be dependent on 바카라사이트 person who is bullying 바카라사이트m to complete 바카라사이트ir degree and to get 바카라사이트ir next job,¡± she pointed out.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com