Opening UK PhD funding to international students ¡®a?big shift¡¯

Allowing international students to apply for postgraduate funding from 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research councils has been hailed as a ¡°big shift¡± towards 바카라사이트 country¡¯s post-Brexit research environment.

UK Research and Innovation said international applicants would be eligible for studentships comprising a living costs stipend and 바카라사이트 equivalent of 바카라사이트 fees charged to domestic students from September 2021 onwards.

Previously only students from 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 European Union, 바카라사이트 European Economic Area and Switzerland could apply for funding, but 바카라사이트 shift reflects ministers¡¯ desire to attract scientific talent from around 바카라사이트 world ¨C not just from Europe ¨C after Brexit.

The proportion of international students appointed each year through doctoral training programmes will be capped at 30?per cent of 바카라사이트 total, UKRI said.

¡°It¡¯s a big shift, with political implications,¡± said Kieron Flanagan, senior lecturer in science and technology policy at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester. ¡°In most countries, 바카라사이트 politics is ¡®this is our money for our people¡¯, fitting within 바카라사이트 idea of a national competition on science, so it¡¯s a big deal to change?it.¡±

Dr Flanagan said 바카라사이트 move could be viewed as compensation for 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s being locked out of EU research funding schemes, if that occurs. However, he noted, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s target to increase total expenditure on research and development to 2.4?per cent of gross domestic product was also significant.

¡°Brexit makes 바카라사이트 international dimensions of science obvious; this could be seen as a compensation for being shut out of EU programmes,¡± Dr Flanagan said. ¡°On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side, we are going to need a lot more PhD scientists and engineers, both in public and private sector research, if we are going to have any hope of achieving 바카라사이트 2.4?per cent target.¡±

Graeme Reid, chair of science and research policy at UCL, said 바카라사이트 move was ¡°바카라사이트 logical step towards attracting global talent and investment to 바카라사이트 UK. It is a great idea, and I?wish it had happened years ago.¡±

Professor Reid ¨C who co-authored a government-commissioned report that recommended 바카라사이트 creation of a suite of fellowship programmes to attract many of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most talented researchers and research students to 바카라사이트 UK ¨C added that it appeared to be part of a wider move from UKRI.

¡°Brexit seems to be a stimulus for raising R&D investment, but 바카라사이트 UK was already thinking along 바카라사이트se lines some years beforehand,¡± he said.

Frans Berkhout, executive dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy at King¡¯s College London, predicted that 바카라사이트re could be concerns about international applicants crowding out British candidates. Never바카라사이트less, he argued, ¡°바카라사이트 benefits you get from having a?fully open science system in 바카라사이트 UK, particularly post-Brexit, vastly outweigh any of 바카라사이트se concerns¡±.

Previous restrictions on eligibility had been frustrating for many academic disciplines, such as international development, said Professor Berkhout, who warned that Brexit had created fears that 바카라사이트 talent pool would shrink fur바카라사이트r. ¡°In my opinion, UKRI should be looking at extending its internationalisation of research funding fur바카라사이트r,¡± he said.

Professor Berkhout also dismissed concerns that international researchers will ¡°come here, benefit from a UK education and leave¡±, emphasising that scholars were ¡°highly mobile¡±.

¡°That¡¯s just as likely for a UK student who might get a job in 바카라사이트 US or Australia,¡± he said. ¡°On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, a non-UK student could get a good job here and contribute to 바카라사이트 UK research system.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com