Postgraduate Research Professor D Howard Green Chair : UK Council for Graduate Education

Structure Change – some numbers Awards - diversity The Quality Agenda Recruitment Europe

Postgraduate growth Numbers FTPT 1961/6219,400 6, /95128,300187, /00151,330257,290 Relative position TotalPG Population 1979/80787,000100,900 (13%) 1994/951,528,000315,400 (21%)

The Distribution of Doctorates Awarded by Institution (2000) QuartileNumber of Institutions Upper 5 Second 9 Third18 Lower97 Source: Millichope, 2001

Total Number of Doctorates Awarded by UK HEIs, YearTotalAnnual Growth (%) , , , , , , , ,875

RAE Grade and Student FTE RAE Grade Submissions Student FTE Mean N(%) 3b278(11) a499(19)2, (26)6, (28)14, * 284(11)8,

Students by Institution and mode 2001 Total FT PT Total Old universities New universities Colleges of Higher Education Grand Total

PG First Year UK 2002/3 PGR FTPT under plus Total Source: HESA Table 1d & 1h

Bristol 2003/4Total all students 22,705 Postgrads TotalFMFTPT ,870 3,975 2,695 5, /2000Total all students 17,920 Postgrads ,610 2,750 1,820 3,540

Origins 1999/ /4 FTFTTotal UK EU) 605 Not EU)

Doctorates Awarded 2003/4 UK15,255 Cambridge 920 Oxford 705 UC 655 Birmingham 570 Imperial 515 Manchester 515 Leeds 465 Nottingham 460 Sheffield 455 Bristol 410

Diversity of Doctorates Standard PhD ( What is that?) Practice based doctorate New route PhD By thesis, by papers, by practice, Professional doctorate

Quality Agenda Origins in Harris 1995 QAA Code 1999 Improving Standards (HEFCE/SHEFC) QAA Code 2004

Drivers Value for money –1993 White Paper – Realising our potential Funding –Limited –Numbers International markets Evidence

Code Precepts Explanation

Some elements Research Environment (P5) –‘to do and learn about research’ –‘located in or across one or more institutions’ Supervisors (P11,12,13,14) –NPC: Wellcome Trust Assessment (P22,23,24) Training (P18/19/20) –Personal and professional development

Roberts Training budgets –UKRCs including AHRC Review and evaluation

Code Does it establish the ground rules? No targets Levels of discretion?

Recruitment

Home domiciled PhD starters by subject area, and Medicine and dentistry 1,004 9% 1,275 11% 27% Subjects allied to medicine 640 5% 722 6% 13% Biological sciences 1,995 17% 1,873 16% -6% Chemistry 909 8% 789 7% -13% Physics 466 4% 475 4% 2% Other physical sciences 491 4% 458 4% -7%

Money (STIPENDS ETC) Career structures Recruitment process

Stipends: –Roberts provides a useful analysis – and the £13,000 rise –Impact on other funders and numbers International comparisons: –US $30,000 IGERT (Integrative Graduate Education and Research traineeship – NSF) (£17,191) –Canada $30,000 Canadian (£14,679) Salary or stipend

Stipend Takes more than three years – so who funds final years Long hours in labs – little time for PT work National insurance Maternity leave Contribution to pensions (lost 3/80ths) for FT.

Career Structures Post docs – what do they do? What are their rights? Research Careers Initiative BUT: What are they paid – Roberts recommended at least £20,000 - This at the end of 7 years plus HE Maths/Chemistry BSc with 1st or 2.1 will start at £25,000 – 30,000 in the City

Progression (non-permanent research assistants) Total % Permanent 550 3% Non permanent 14,750 69% None 5,964 28%

Progression Permanent Contract in following year Chemistry 1,530 2% Physics 1,505 2% Other physical sciences 623 4% Mathematical sciences 631 3%

Institutional funding HEFCE Dec 2004 Impact –On institutions –On disciplines Regional possibilities

Units of assessment (UoA) with 50% or more submissions rated below 4 10Nursing 11Other Studies and PAM 16Food Science and Technology 21Environmental Sciences 26General Engineering 29Electrical and Electronic Engineering 33Built Environment 43Business and management 61Library and Information Management 64Art and Design 65Communication, Cultural and Media Studies 66Drama, Dance and Performing Arts 68Education 69Sports Related Subjects (Units in receipt of Capability Funds are italicised)

Recruitment conclusion Is there a process? Is it a market?

Europe – a new challenge European Higher Education Area European Research Area Bologna: three cycle model – Salzburg Recommendations

Advancement of knowledge through original research Embedded in institutional policies and strategies Diversity of programmes As early stage researchers Crucial role of supervision and assessment

Achieving critical mass Duration (3-4 years ‘as a rule’) Innovative structures Increasing mobility Appropriate funding For agreement by Ministers in 2007 in Bergen

European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. (2005) Develop and maintain a supportive research environment – esp. early stage researchers Create transparent and equal recruitment and career development Sort out problems inhibiting mobility Equality of employment rights and benefits

Conclusion Lots going on –Who is influencing –Who is deciding Need a pause to evaluate