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The Postgraduate Review

During a speech at Birkbeck University on the 27th of July Lord Mandelson announced a review of postgraduate provision in the UK, to be led by Professor Adrian Smith, Director General of Science and Research at BIS.

The review will, in part, build on earlier contributions to the HE Debate, in particular the issues identified by Nigel Thrift and Paul Wellings.

Postgrad student, image CC licensed from Tulane University

Principal areas of investigation

The review’s principal areas of investigation will be:

  • to assess the competitiveness of UK institutions in the global market for postgraduate education
  • to assess the benefits of postgraduate study for all relevant stakeholders
  • to assess the evidence about the needs of business and other employers for postgraduates
  • and to examine levels of participation, in terms of who undertakes postgraduate study, and whether there are barriers affecting the diversity of participation and any associated reduction in the availability of high-quality entrants

External Advisors

During the course of the current review Prof Smith will be supported by a number of external advisers from the university and business worlds. They are:

  • Professor Keith Burnett, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sheffield
  • Dr David Docherty, Chief Executive of the Council for Industry and Higher Education
  • Professor Wendy Purcell, Vice Chancellor of the University of Plymouth
  • Dr Tim Bradshaw, Head of Science, Technology and Innovation, CBI
  • Professor Sarah Worthington, Pro Director for Research and External Relations, London School of Economics

About Adrian Smith

Adrian SmithA well-respected figure in the HE world, Prof Smith is a mathematician who has held a number of senior positions, most recently as Principal of Queen Mary, University of London, and who has previously provided valuable educational advice to Government, most notably in his 2004 review “Making Mathematics Count”.
» Read Adrian Smith’s full biography

Your input

Your input is vital to the success of the review. Over the course of the review we hope this website will act as a hub for submissions of evidence and also a broad-ranging discussion of the key issues.

To begin with, please submit your perspectives on the key areas of postgraduate provision that should be considered by the review. These can be submitted via the comment section below, or emailed to postgraduatereview@bis.gsi.gov.uk.

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