More money from the Research Councils for postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers is helping academia recruit and retain the brightest young research talents says a new report published today. However the report also highlights some areas of concern, where lucrative alternative careers are still exacerbating skills shortages. The Research Councils are now renewing their call for universities to apply for higher salaries and stipends in their grant applications if they are experiencing trouble recruiting certain skills.
The independent report, commissioned by Research Councils UK from the Centre for the Study of Law and Policy in Europe at the University of Leeds, found that increased postgraduate stipends and postdoctoral salaries had made an impact on recruiting and retaining researchers in academia but that there are problems in areas such as economics where well-paid alternative careers tempt researchers to leave the higher education sector.
Other findings from the report are that the increased pay from the Research Councils is having a positive effect on the salaries being offered by other research funders and that the current Research Council PhD stipend of £12,000 a year is considered to provide an adequate standard of living.
The report is based on an online questionnaire and interviews with a range of people in higher education, including postgraduate students, research administrators, finance and HR staff, and academic researchers; as well as funding bodies. Its findings highlight the need for the Research Councils to raise awareness that research grant applications can take into account the need for higher salaries to attract researchers to shortage areas. The Research Councils have renewed their commitment to communicate to the research community the need to apply for enhanced salaries on research grants where there is a skills shortage or recruitment difficulties.
Professor Julia Goodfellow, speaking on behalf of Research Councils UK, said: "The Research Councils are committed to playing our part in supporting the supply lines of researchers that the UK science and research base needs. The increase in postgraduate stipends and postdoctoral salaries has made a tangible difference. There is clear evidence that these increases have made posts more attractive career choices and that vacancies are attracting higher numbers of applications. The Research Councils realise that there are still areas of critical shortage. We are involved in health of discipline work to address this but we are also calling on the research community to apply for enhanced salaries when making grant applications if they face a skills shortage."
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Contact
Research Councils UK Press Office
Matt Goode, Research Councils UK
Tel: 01793 413299
Notes to Editors
Research Council salaries and stipends were increased following the Roberts Report, 'SET for Success' of 2002.
The report – Assessing the Impact of the Roberts' Review Enhanced Salaries and Stipends on Postdoctoral and Postgraduate Positions
- by the Centre for the Study of Law and Policy in Europe was commissioned by
Research Councils UK and will form part of RCUK’s submission to Government on
the impact of the Roberts Review.
About Research Councils UK
The eight Research Councils are independent non-departmental public bodies, funded by the Science Budget through the Office of Science and Innovation (OSI). They are incorporated by Royal Charter and together manage a research budget of over £2.5 billion a year. Through RCUK, the Research Councils work together to champion the research, training and innovation they support.
The RCUK Research Careers and Diversity Unit builds upon the existing activities and facilitate new developments across the Research Councils to help address the key government objectives of:
- Ensuring that the UK economy has a sufficient supply of scientists and engineers.
- Increasing the involvement of women and ethnic minority groups in science and its governance.
The unit is responsible for a number of joint Council schemes such as the UKGRAD skills programme and the Academic Fellowships and Dorothy Hodgkin awards schemes, reporting on the implementation by the Councils of the Roberts recommendations, co-ordination with OSI and the RCUK Science in Society unit, partnership with HESA (e.g. on first destination data for students) and provision of SET statistics on careers.
The eight UK Research Councils are:
- Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC);
- Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC);
- Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC);
- Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC);
- Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC);
- Medical Research Council (MRC);
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC);
- Particle Physics & Astronomy Research Council (PPARC).