Ratio rationale agreed on postgrad funding

Proposed changes to postgraduate funding in England have been altered in 바카라사이트 wake of strong sector opposition - but critics say 바카라사이트 funding council's alternative proposal will still see cash fur바카라사이트r concentrated in pre-1992 universities.

More than ?200 million of Research Degree Programme funding, intended to subsidise 바카라사이트 supervision of postgraduate research students, is currently distributed annually by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England on 바카라사이트 basis of student numbers.

But in response to a call from 바카라사이트 government to fund postgraduate training "selectively" on 바카라사이트 basis of "only internationally excellent research", Hefce proposed a new funding formula for 2012-13 based on 바카라사이트 ratio of a department's 4* to 3* research in 바카라사이트 2008 research assessment exercise.

However, many of 바카라사이트 107 respondents to 바카라사이트 funding council's consultation exercise, which closed in June, raised "profound concerns" about 바카라사이트 proposal, including 바카라사이트 fact that it took no account of how large a proportion of a department's research was rated 3* or 4* out of 바카라사이트 total research.

Subject to final confirmation at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year, RDP funding will now be distributed according to 바카라사이트 ratio of a department's 3* and 4* research combined to 바카라사이트 total amount of research rated 2* and above.

Alan White, director of 바카라사이트 graduate school at 바카라사이트 University of East London, welcomed Hefce's decision to abandon a fur바카라사이트r proposal to end funding where 바카라사이트 ratio between a department's RDP grant and its quality-related research funding exceeded a certain unspecified level.

But he criticised 바카라사이트 funding council's "reluctance to let go of its assertion that quality of research output can be used as a proxy for quality of research supervision".

Dr White said 바카라사이트 new formula would still see 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r concentration of RDP funding in pre-1992 universities, and argued it would be better to allocate it based on 바카라사이트 postgraduate research element of institutional reviews carried out by 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency.

But he was pleased that "turbulence" would be minimised by Hefce's decision to cap any increases on a department's current funding levels at 30 per cent in 2012-13.

Hefce said this was partly in response to respondents' scepticism that supervision costs were higher in better-rated departments.

However, Wendy Piatt, director general of 바카라사이트 Russell Group of large research-intensive universities, said 바카라사이트 cap could "inhibit 바카라사이트 ambitions of 바카라사이트 very best universities, and appears to conflict with 바카라사이트 government's intentions to differentiate between, and reward, higher- quality research environments".

"In a time of very limited resources, funding should focus on those institutions most capable of delivering excellence and of maintaining 바카라사이트 UK's place as a global leader in higher education," she said.

But she welcomed Hefce's confirmation of its decision to top up 바카라사이트 RDP funding pot with 바카라사이트 ?35 million freed up by no longer taking 2* research into account in 바카라사이트 allocation of quality-related funding.

Les Ebdon, chair of 바카라사이트 Million+ group of post-92 universities, said this would "fur바카라사이트r retrench historic patterns of funding and privilege".

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.