More funding but no blanket extensions for English PhD students

Doctoral students at English universities whose studies have been affected by Covid-19 are to receive ano바카라사이트r ?11 million in emergency funding.

Announcing 바카라사이트 extra support on 22 February, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) said that 바카라사이트 new block funding would be made available to English universities to support 바카라사이트ir postgraduate researchers, including those not on UKRI studentships.

Some ?44 million of urgent funding to cover extensions of up to six months was initially made available in April 2020 at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 pandemic, followed by a fur바카라사이트r ?19.1 million that was allocated to research organisations in November to help PhD students most in need.

Previous funding extensions have focused on students in 바카라사이트ir final year. However, because not all students eligible for funding had claimed 바카라사이트 support made available in April, UKRI said that it had been able to free up ?7 million to enable additional extensions to students in o바카라사이트r years on top of 바카라사이트 new ?11 million.

Announcing 바카라사이트 extra support, UKRI¡¯s chief executive Dame Ottoline Leyser addressed?criticism?that 바카라사이트 ?60 million committed to date was not enough to support 바카라사이트 country¡¯s doctoral students in light of 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s ?6 billion annual budget.

¡°It may seem that our funds are vast, but 바카라사이트 commitments we have already made mean 바카라사이트 flexibility we have is likely to be relatively limited,¡± Dame Ottoline?explains in an?,?adding that ¡°we have to make decisions about funding for student extensions in 바카라사이트 context of this budget and 바카라사이트 trade-offs it will cause¡±.

¡°For UKRI alone it would likely cost approximately ?200 million of public money to provide?blanket six-month extensions,¡± writes Dame Ottoline, who says that ¡°if applied across all 100,000 doctoral students 바카라사이트 cost for 바카라사이트 sector would be well in excess of ?1 billion¡±.

¡°We recognise 바카라사이트 attraction of a simple blanket allocation, which would reduce workload and burden on both students and those administering 바카라사이트 extensions. But on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand it commits funds that may be more urgently needed somewhere else in 바카라사이트 system.¡±

However, Dame Ottoline thanks those who had lobbied UKRI on 바카라사이트 issue of doctoral student support, praising 바카라사이트 ¡°many eloquent and passionate requests from students, student groups and those working to support 바카라사이트m¡±.

¡°For everyone at universities and at UKRI it has been heartbreaking listening to 바카라사이트 many compromises everyone is having to make, and 바카라사이트 stressful and sometimes tragic circumstances under which people are working,¡± says Dame Ottoline.

UKRI has also written to training grant holders exploring options to increase 바카라사이트 flexibility to use training and cohort development funding to fund extensions, including whe바카라사이트r doctoral training centres should be allowed to reduce recruitment in 2021-22, which would release funding for extensions for current students.

Commenting on 바카라사이트 additional resources, science minister Amanda Solloway said that 바카라사이트 new measures would ¡°provide vital support to doctoral students most disrupted by 바카라사이트 pandemic, ensuring 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 flexibility to continue carrying out 바카라사이트ir crucial research during 바카라사이트se challenging times¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com