21.01.10
1994 Group responds to British Library/HEPI report on Postgraduate Education.
Paul Marshall, Executive Director of the 1994 Group said:
"I welcome this helpful report by the British Library and HEPI that highlights the fact that 1994 Group and Russell Group universities are clearly dominant in the sector in terms of the volume of PhDs produced. It is the quality of infrastructure around research teams that is the important factor in producing PhDs."
"A new quality threshold on PhD provision must be introduced. HEFCE's funding should be more concentrated than it currently is, in order for Government investment to be channelled as effectively as possible and at the best value. This would still allow all institutions to provide PhDs if they wish, but provision below the quality threshold would be reliant on fee income rather than Government funds."
A 1994 Group research report on postgraduate education published on the 9th January recommended the introduction of a quality threshold for PhD provision. The report showed that:
- research-intensive institutions of the 1994 Group and Russell Groups are far more productive, in terms of their completion rates and in terms of their doctoral completions per academic staff across the subject areas.
- the ranked order of PhD productivity rates shows that there is a large drop in productivity between research-intensive universities and the rest of the sector.
Notes to Editors
1. The HEPI Research Report Postgraduate Education in the United Kingdom produced in association with the British Library is available from Thursday 21 January 2010 on both organisations web sites.
2. The 1994 Group report 'An analysis of postgraduate provision at UK Universities' is available here. The report has been submitted to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) as part of the 1994 Group's submission to Professor Adrian Smith's Review of Postgraduate Education. It also concluded that Postgraduate Teaching (PGT) provision is a mass market activity and should be supported at all universities. It is extremely welcome that PGT has been included in the terms of reference for the Review of HE Funding & Student Finance. A particularly key area is widening participation and whether there are barriers to entry at this level.
3. The 1994 Group represents 19 of UK's leading student-focused research-intensive universities. It was established in 1994 to promote excellence in University research and teaching.
4. In 17 major subject areas 1994 Group universities are the UK leaders achieving 1st place in their field (THE RAE subject rankings 2008). 57% of the 1994 Group's research is rated 4* 'world-leading' or 3* 'internationally excellent' (RAE 2008, HEFCE). 7 of the top 10 universities for student experience are 1994 Group Universities (2009 National Student Survey) 1994 Group members include 10 of the top 18 universities in the UK in The Guardian University Guide League Table published on the 12th May 2009.
5. The 1994 Group represents: University of Bath, Birkbeck University of London, Durham University, University of East Anglia, University of Essex, University of Exeter, Goldsmiths University of London, Institute of Education University of London, Royal Holloway University of London, Lancaster University, University of Leicester, Loughborough University, Queen Mary University of London, University of Reading, University of St Andrews, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of Surrey, University of Sussex, University of York.
6. Press Enquiries, please contact Alistair Jarvis, Director of Communications, 1994 Group. Tel: 0207 872 5596. Email: alistair.jarvis@1994group.co.uk