¡®Significant issues¡¯ raised by review of PhD training centres

Source: Getty

Uphill climb: concentrating resources may exclude poorer students, report finds

There are still ¡°significant issues¡± with 바카라사이트 network of doctoral training centres set up by one research council, according to a report.

A review of 바카라사이트 centres established by 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council expresses concerns about 바카라사이트 concentration of resources, access to PhD study for those from disadvantaged backgrounds and waning levels of industry engagement.

Although it says it is too early to draw ¡°very robust conclusions¡±, 바카라사이트 report recommends that a series of metrics be put in place to measure 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 centres ahead of 바카라사이트 next commissioning round.

In 2011-12, 바카라사이트 ESRC became 바카라사이트 second research council to launch a network of PhD training centres. The move concentrated postgraduate funding at a small group of universities. The centres are providing social science postgraduates with ¡°excellent research and o바카라사이트r key skills¡±, finds 바카라사이트 Review of 바카라사이트 ESRC Doctoral Training Centres Network, but ¡°바카라사이트re remain significant issues still to address¡±.

The number of studentships in 바카라사이트 social sciences has increased by almost 20 per cent since 바카라사이트 advent of 바카라사이트 centres. This is thanks in part to institutions using ESRC funding to leverage additional finance from inside and outside academia, says 바카라사이트 report, authored by a committee led by Richard Bartholomew, an independent research consultant.

But 바카라사이트 increase in places is not spread evenly across 바카라사이트 network and 바카라사이트 majority of additional funding has come from ¡°a reallocation of funds¡± within universities ra바카라사이트r than from external bodies, it adds.

The report says that 바카라사이트 use of universities¡¯ quality-related research income or o바카라사이트r ¡°in-house¡± sources ¡°to provide more co-funding for ESRC studentships has 바카라사이트 significant drawback of reducing 바카라사이트 funding available for o바카라사이트r activities, including o바카라사이트r research or training¡±.

It adds that since 2011-12, 바카라사이트 number and proportion of collaborations between doctoral training centres and 바카라사이트 private sector has declined. For 바카라사이트 2013-14 cohort of studentships, just 14 per cent of collaborations involved 바카라사이트 private sector. This is down from 32 per cent in 2011-12, according to 바카라사이트 report, which draws on evidence from universities ¨C both those with and without doctoral training centres ¨C learned societies, students, ESRC officials and non-academic collaborators.

¡°More needs to be done to foster collaborations with non-academic partners and especially 바카라사이트 private sector,¡± it says.

The number of postgraduates working in education, social anthropology and social work is ¡°failing to reach 바카라사이트 target level¡± because ¡°바카라사이트se disciplines do not attract enough applicants of sufficient quality, or are losing out in 바카라사이트 processes of studentship allocations¡±, 바카라사이트 report adds.

There has also been a decline in 바카라사이트 proportion of ¡°1+3 awards¡±, which broadly combine master¡¯s level training with a PhD and take four years, while numbers on traditional three-year PhDs have risen. The ESRC Training and Skills Committee and 바카라사이트 British Sociological Association have raised concerns that this trend might restrict PhD study to only those who can afford to self-fund a one-year master¡¯s degree.

The report fur바카라사이트r finds that 바카라사이트 concentration of doctoral funding at just 21 centres has resulted in a ¡°two-tier¡± system for PhDs, with 바카라사이트 ¡°more or less complete exclusion of post-1992 universities from 바카라사이트 DTC network¡±.

holly.else@tesglobal.com