31 March 2010
Postgraduate report leaves many questions unanswered
Commenting on Professor Adrian Smith’s report One Step Beyond: Making the most of postgraduate education, Professor Les Ebdon, Chair of the university think-tank million+ and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire, welcomed the report but expressed concern that many questions about the future of postgraduate study have been left unanswered.
Professor Ebdon said: “million+ welcomes the work done by Professor Smith and his team. This report provides a new and welcome focus on the UK’s postgraduate provision and the need to ensure that it is promoted both in the UK but also internationally.
“The million+ report A Postgraduate Strategy for Britain: Expanding Excellence, Innovation and Opportunity made clear how modern universities are working closely with employers and equipping postgraduates with the higher level skills that they, and the economy, need. Adrian Smith’s report concludes that this is exactly the sort of provision that should be encouraged. 37% of all postgraduate students in the UK study at modern universities and the potential of these universities to drive innovation and growth is clear.
“I also welcome the fact that proposals to concentrate doctoral research funding in just a handful of universities have been dropped. This was never a good idea and was based on the principle of protectionism rather than innovation. The quality of teaching and supervision rather than intensity or critical mass of research funding must be the future driver of doctoral funding.
“However, this report leaves many questions unanswered. It asks Hefce to explicitly fund research quality over research volume yet it fails to make a firm commitment to fund world-leading research wherever it is found. By encouraging the development of research centres and arguing for critical mass, the recommendations could undermine universities that have proved themselves to be fleet of foot at developing postgraduate opportunities in emerging areas and it could limit attempts to widen participation in postgraduate study.
“Finally, by leaving the door open for Lord Browne’s fees review to divert funding from undergraduate teaching to postgraduate provision, the report risks reducing undergraduate opportunities and damaging the chances of many for whom a first degree is a life changing experience.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- million+ is a leading university think-tank, working to solve the complex problems in higher education www.millionplus.ac.uk
- Professor Adrian Smith’s report One Step Beyond: Making the most of postgraduate education can be downloaded here
- For more information, comment or interviews from million+ please contact Victoria Mills on 020 7717 1659 or 07900 277819