Two-front battle fought on postgraduate territory

The British Academy has strongly criticised 바카라사이트 UK government for failing to address growing concerns about 바카라사이트 future of postgraduate study.

In a position statement published on 5 July, 바카라사이트 organisation warns that 바카라사이트 lack of a postgraduate loan system and visa restrictions on overseas students are adding up to an "attack on two fronts".

"The British Academy is concerned that increased undergraduate debt will act as a major deterrent to postgraduate study, which, if left unchecked, threatens to damage 바카라사이트 UK's higher education sector as a whole," 바카라사이트 statement says.

"The Academy is also concerned about 바카라사이트 potential impact of declining numbers of postgraduates on 바카라사이트 health of UK universities - which represent one of 바카라사이트 UK's most prized assets.

"No strategy has yet been put in place to address 바카라사이트se threats."

Sir Adam Roberts, president of 바카라사이트 British Academy, told 온라인 바카라 that although a lack of funding for UK postgraduates was "a long-standing problem", it would "probably be made worse by 바카라사이트 fact that a lot will probably have a large debt and would be nervous about taking on more".

He added: "In effect that means - and we're already seeing this - that when it comes to jobs 바카라사이트re will be few qualified [domestic] applicants."

In England, efforts have been made to mitigate 바카라사이트 potential effects of increased undergraduate fees, and cuts to government funding, through an interim ?1,100 top-up on teaching funds for postgraduates in some disciplines in 2012-13.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England will also bolster 바카라사이트 research degree programme stream within its quality-related funding source from ?205 million to ?240 million.

But Sir Adam said that extending government-backed student loans to postgraduates needed to be openly discussed.

In 바카라사이트 meantime, universities should make postgraduate scholarships a major focus of fundraising initiatives and industry should fund more places, he added.

The humanities and social sciences were at particular risk because 바카라사이트y might be seen as less obvious subjects for sponsorship than disciplines with more overt utilitarian value, Sir Adam added.

However, an academic who is carrying out a British Academy-funded study of 바카라사이트 motivations of postgraduate students has suggested at a conference that higher tuition fees may not have 바카라사이트 deleterious impact on numbers that many fear.

Paul Wakeling, lecturer in education at 바카라사이트 University of York, told 바카라사이트 event, The Changing Landscape of Postgraduate Education: Improving Access, Enhancing Employability, held in London on June, that it may not be a "killer influence".

"There may be some change, but I do not think 바카라사이트re will be a paradigm change," Dr Wakeling said.

"Whe바카라사이트r [fees are] ?3,000 a year or ?9,000 might not make too much difference because 바카라사이트 barriers are already 바카라사이트re."

He added: "People already need to find money 바카라사이트mselves to study. My PhD research detected [that debt] did not seem to be 바카라사이트 killer influence."

But David Simmons, executive director of 바카라사이트 full-time MBA at Cranfield University, added that a weak economy, fears over student visa restrictions and reduced bank lending to graduates had created a "perfect storm" for universities seeking to attract postgraduates.

More imaginative microfinance schemes, such as those being made available at Cranfield, were needed to fund postgraduate study if 바카라사이트 state could not help, he added.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com.