► Education Funding- Postgraduate Support

01/02 Policy

Valid AULUC 2007

 

EDUCATION FUNDING – POSTGRADUATE SUPPORT

Proposed by Dave Clay [Education & Welfare, London School of Economics]

Seconded by Clare Taylor [President, London School of Economics]

 

THIS UNION NOTES

 

1.          British Academy Report: “Review of Graduate Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences”.

2.          Royal Academy of Engineering report: “Doctoral level research students in engineering: a national concern”.

3.          The Bett Report identifies the need for “a significant increase in minimum starting salaries for young lecturers”.

4.          Funding provision has not kept pace with the increase in postgraduate numbers over the past 15 years (Guardian 28-8-01).

5.          Student loans are unavailable to postgraduates.

 

THIS UNION BELIEVES

 

1.          Postgraduate study is important as postgraduates represent the future of academia and our Universities.

2.          Postgraduate study also drives the knowledge-based economy.

3.          That the state has a responsibility to encourage students to undertake postgraduate courses and that it is failing in its duty towards postgraduate students.

4.          That academia will remain the preserve of the rich if the funding arrangements for postgraduate study in the UK are not altered.

5.          That the number of scholarships, studentships and bursaries available for Masters and PhD students is inadequate and should be increased.

6.          That the level of stipend for PhD students is inadequate and should be increased

7.          That governmental funding of the Research Boards/Councils should be increased to meet these objectives.

8.          That student loans should be extended to Masters students.

9.          That the Government should allow phased waiving of student debt for PhD students.

10.        That an MSc is not simply a training period for a PhD and that 1+3 funding is not necessarily appropriate for all MSc students.

11.        1+3 funding does acknowledge the necessity for consistent funding over three years of a PhD. Students need to have the knowledge of a constant income stream throughout their PhD.

12.        Postgraduate funding should be flexible and cater to the needs of students who only wish to do a Masters or who may take longer than the allotted time to complete their PhD.

13.        That starting salaries for young lecturers should be increased as per the Bett report.

14.        That postgraduate funding should be on the agenda of the current governmental review of student support arrangements.

 

THIS UNION RESOLVES

 

1.          To include a section on postgraduate funding in future ULU student funding campaign literature.

 

THIS UNION MANDATES

 

1.          ULU President to write a letter to Margaret Hodge on behalf of ULU Council, urging the government to review student support arrangements for postgraduates, and embodying the principles outlined in Union Believes.

 

 

PASSED: 18^th March 2002