Protecting research degrees: why we must continue to train PhD students | Higher Education Network | Guardian Professional

At around this time of year, at least in the northern hemisphere, we gather to celebrate the achievements of our graduands. Some students leave university to go straight into the workforce, others are looking to secure fast-track jobs in a difficult economic environment, and many will wish to continue studying for advanced degrees. While the destinations of all graduates are important, this latter group remains critical to the UK over the medium term. Last year's Council for Industry and Higher Education report, Talent fishing, suggests that students with master's qualifications have skillsets in high demand from business, and those with PhD qualifications make an important contribution to the national system of innovation through their varied research outputs. So the recent news that research councils are cutting funding for master's and PhD places should be a source of concern to anyone with interests in the UK's innovative capacity. Combined with the loss of Roberts funding for training early career researchers, it suggests that the development of the next generation of researchers will be rather patchy.

via www.guardian.co.uk

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