http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14309883

(down)

:-s:-s

I get a bit cranky when I see these sorts of cuts made at the same time that there is political palaver that the English system should move closer to that of the United States. Well. No one is denied access to post graduate degrees in the US due to lack of funds and moreover, you can take those funds and go to reputable universities nearly anywhere in the world to do your postgrad studies.

Is the English system planning to build that into its structure? If so, they are keeping an eerie silence on it.

The American system is far more than some private universities in and amongst the state ones. Yet to read about the system in the press, or the various political statements about the benefits of the private university system leave out huge and vital chunks of information about what the US system is all about.

If there is a move to a US system--then--it should be reported accurately. Simply having private institutions is NOTHING like the US system and its a huge misrepresentation to say so.

One of the cornerstones in the US system is ACCESS. There is no capped places mandated by the government and enforced by steep fines. Each university determines the number of students it can manage. But more importantly, the student loan system is there if you need it, for both undergraduate and postgraduate.

The loan system differs in that--the loans fall due within a certain period after graduation, and you are bound to repay regardless of your financial status ( eg no standard of earning a certain threshold before you pay). At the same time, there are options if you are unable to pay, but the repayment requirements are a bit more robust than the English system. If you borrow, expect to pay. Yet with that comes an immense opportunity--postgrad education is not inaccessible due to cost and funds. Yes, you can borrow the amounts you need. And yes, you can use student loans to go to overseas universities and get your degree there, undergrad or postgrad.

Although this is bad in lots of ways, one good thing is that it will cut down on the oversupply of PhD students. Perhaps it will also result in better conditions for those of us who do make it?

======= Date Modified 28 Jul 2011 19:44:02 =======
This is really, really bad. Although I'm glad I've already started my funded PhD. :-)

The country is in a poor state! Out of the people I graduated with at the beginning of July, only about 7 of the 42 graduating had something they wanted lined up i.e. jobs, PhDs. The rest were having to look at second choices.

The next few years for academia are going to be tough, especially with the new £9k UG tuition fees coming in.
They will find more people on the unemployment line then there currently is!
The Government need to sit up and listen, there are some bright people in the UK who cannot get jobs, post-docs that can't use their PhD training, etc; and industry is fairing just as bad.

Lets hope that the UK economy will see the light at the end of a tunnel and not the lights of an oncoming train (knowing the UK's luck, it will be a german train built by Siemens after the UK gave them a big contract leading to the train builders up in the midlands are being laid off!! ).