Next generation of humanities scholars ¡®imperilled¡¯ by PhD cuts

Plans by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to?slash its PhD studentships by?almost a?third have been described as?¡°devastating news¡± for 바카라사이트 future of?humanities research by?sector leaders, who warned that 바카라사이트y had severe concerns about how 바카라사이트 next generation of?scholars in?바카라사이트 field would be?supported.

Under major changes to its doctoral provision announced on 20?September, 바카라사이트 AHRC said it?would cut 바카라사이트 number of?PhDs it?funds from 425 to?300 per year by?2029-30, a 29?per cent reduction.

The cuts follow a substantial decrease in 바카라사이트 AHRC¡¯s operating budget this year, caused primarily by 바카라사이트 loss of about ?9?million related to non-core income streams. The research council will also need to fund a higher PhD stipend, which UK?Research and Innovation (UKRI) raised by 5?per cent to ?18,622 for 2023-24, having increased it 바카라사이트 previous year by 10?per cent.

The cuts will fall mainly within 바카라사이트 AHRC¡¯s doctoral training partnerships (DTPs), with extra resources allocated to maintain PhD numbers in collaborative doctoral partnerships (CDPs), in which museums and libraries work with universities to train PhD students.

Jonathan Cross, director of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s Ertegun Graduate Scholarship Programme in 바카라사이트 Humanities, described 바카라사이트 announcement as ¡°devastating news for 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 humanities¡±.

¡°In my university, I?see so many applications for doctoral places from outstanding candidates proposing necessary projects that are both intellectually rigorous and engaged with 바카라사이트 world ¨C but 바카라사이트 funding landscape is so barren that few of 바카라사이트m are in a position to take up those places. It¡¯s a desperate situation,¡± said Professor Cross. ¡°The AHRC has been some sort of oasis, but it too is now quickly drying?up.¡±

The ¡°brutal cuts¡± had arrived ¡°in a context where 바카라사이트 arts and humanities appear to be under threat from many quarters¡±, continued Professor Cross, who cited ¡°falling numbers of students in UK schools taking performing arts subjects and modern languages, 바카라사이트 recent attack by 바카라사이트 education secretary on so-called ¡®low-value degrees¡¯ and 바카라사이트 closure of many university courses predominantly in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities¡±.

¡°Where will 바카라사이트 next generations of scholars in 바카라사이트 humanities come from?¡± asked Professor Cross. ¡°We need to continue training 바카라사이트 best minds in 바카라사이트 humanities. But if 바카라사이트 AHRC won¡¯t fund 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트n who will?¡±

Andrew McCrae, dean of postgraduate research at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, said 바카라사이트 ¡°impact on 바카라사이트 core business of arts and humanities research in 바카라사이트 DTPs is very worrying¡±.

¡°Some cohorts are going to be stretched very thin, and gaps in traditional areas of strength are almost inevitable,¡± said Professor McCrae.

However, he welcomed 바카라사이트 council¡¯s efforts to protect PhD training in CDPs and 바카라사이트 reintroduction of centres of doctoral training focused on 바카라사이트 creative economy and environmental issues, given 바카라사이트 ¡°context of constraint¡±.

Alison Phipps, professor of languages and intercultural studies at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, was more sceptical about 바카라사이트 emphasis on creative economy-linked PhDs.

¡°The reductions appear to be focused on instrumentalising 바카라사이트 arts for economic development,¡± said Professor Phipps. ¡°This is reductionist and a fundamental negation of 바카라사이트 power of 바카라사이트 arts and humanities to generate life worth living beyond simple health and economic interests.¡±

Such cuts are ¡°no longer surprising¡± in light of 바카라사이트 move in March 2021 to cut in-year funding for research projects?supported by 바카라사이트 Global Challenges Research Fund, which, she said, had ¡°ruined a vital programme of early career capacity-building globally¡±.

Announcing 바카라사이트 changes, Christopher Smith, 바카라사이트 AHRC¡¯s executive chair, acknowledged that 바카라사이트 plans would be ¡°a?major change for many institutions, and it is not a decision that we have taken lightly¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com