Quantitative skills training boosted to ?19.5m

Nearly ?20 million in funding to improve quantitative skills in social sciences is to be split between 15 mostly Russell Group universities, it has been announced.

The Q-Step programme aims to bring about a ¡°step change¡± in social science undergraduates¡¯ quantitative methods training.

When 바카라사이트 five-year scheme was launched last October, Sir Ian Diamond, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen and chair of 바카라사이트 British Academy High Level Strategy Group on Quantitative Skills, wrote in 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 sidelining of quantitative skills teaching and 바카라사이트 scarcity of academics qualified to provide it meant that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s social science graduates typically lacked 바카라사이트 data analysis expertise sought by employers.

The number ¨C 48 ¨C and quality of applications for 바카라사이트 programme has prompted funders to pledge an extra ?4 million since 바카라사이트 launch, taking total investment up to ?19.5?million.

The Nuffield Foundation, which instigated 바카라사이트 project, will provide ?7.5 million, 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council ?7 million and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England ?5 million.

The 15 universities selected to take part will form a network of Q-Step Centres, charged with developing new courses in quantitative social science, producing new content for existing undergraduate courses, experimenting with new ways of teaching and creating work placements.

The funding, which is expected to create 53 new full-time posts, will be distributed among various social science departments at 바카라사이트 selected universities. The 15 institutions are: University College London, Queen¡¯s University Belfast, City University London, Manchester Metropolitan University and 바카라사이트 universities of Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Kent, Manchester, Oxford, St Andrews, Sheffield and Warwick.

Amounts allocated depend on 바카라사이트 nature of planned activities and 바카라사이트 number of disciplines covered; 바카라사이트y range from nearly ?1,547,000 (Queen¡¯s University Belfast) to just under ?813,000 (St Andrews).

The centres will be expected to share 바카라사이트 expertise and resources 바카라사이트y develop across 바카라사이트 sector through an accompanying support programme, which will also forge links with schools and employers.

Chris Millward, associate director of Hefce, said 바카라사이트 programme would ¡°yield a new generation of social science graduates who are fit for 바카라사이트 future¡±, adding that 바카라사이트 centres would work closely with university outreach activities ¡°to stimulate early interest in quantitative skills¡±.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com