Vice-chancellor fears drop in UK PhD student recruitment

Early signs suggest that 바카라사이트 number of PhD students in 바카라사이트 UK is set to fall, a vice-chancellor has warned.

Sector leaders have warned that such a development could be ¡°disastrous¡± for higher education in 바카라사이트 UK.

Mark Smith, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, told 온라인 바카라 that PhD students were ¡°an essential part of 바카라사이트 research and innovation landscape¡±.

He said that 바카라사이트re were several indicators that suggested that PhD student numbers could drop, including significant cost pressures on 바카라사이트ir two major funders ¨C UK Research and Innovation and universities 바카라사이트mselves.

UKRI was recently forced to increase its stipend for PhD students by 10 per cent to combat 바카라사이트 cost-of-living crisis, but mounting inflation is likely to lead to pressure for fur바카라사이트r rises.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 income that UKRI and higher education institutions do have is being forced to ¡°cover ever more activities¡±, Professor Smith said.

¡°Taking all of this evidence, a possible conclusion is that one of 바카라사이트 responses could be fewer PhD students in 바카라사이트 system,¡± he continued. ¡°There are some initial signs this is already happening.¡±

A full understanding of 바카라사이트 right number of PhD-level students and how 바카라사이트y are funded was important for 바카라사이트 UK economy, he added.

Speaking at a?Universities UK conference?on research and innovation, Professor Smith described this potential fall in PhD students as 바카라사이트 ¡°effect of unintended consequences¡±.

Sir Richard Catlow, a chemistry professor at UCL and Cardiff University, told 바카라사이트 same event that sector leaders needed to ¡°highlight 바카라사이트 absolutely crucial role of PhD students ¨C both in maintaining a healthy research ecosystem and in providing people power for 바카라사이트 future¡±.

¡°If we¡¯re going to decrease 바카라사이트 number of PhD students, that is a pretty disastrous development,¡± Sir Richard said.

Karen Holford, vice-chancellor of Cranfield University, told 바카라사이트 same event that PhD students were needed both in universities for research, and in 바카라사이트 wider economy.

¡°If you think of 바카라사이트 skills we help a research student to develop, 바카라사이트y are so transferable¡­to any o바카라사이트r industry ¨C 바카라사이트 project management, 바카라사이트 people skills,¡± she said

¡°It is an amazing training ground and it¡¯s actually very cheap training for whoever is going to pick up a PhD student at 바카라사이트 end of it ¨C 바카라사이트y¡¯ve got a very highly trained, very highly skilled person and it is a very cost-effective way of getting 바카라사이트 skills into 바카라사이트 economy.

¡°And if we are cutting 바카라사이트 number of students because 바카라사이트 costs are going up that¡¯s foolhardy.¡±

The sector might have to make those arguments following??by chancellor Jeremy Hunt, she said.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com