The MRC is to raise its maintenance grant for all students working towards their Masters and PhDs to a flat rate of £10,000 a year (£12,500 pa in London).
Professor Sir George Radda, MRC Chief Executive, said: "This significant rise in the postgraduate student stipend is one outcome of a review of the MRC's research training policy in a bid to maintain the competitiveness of the MRC package to attract high calibre applicants."
Both current students and new starters will receive the higher rate stipend in October this year. Previously, first year students received £7,450 (£9,900 in London) rising by an additional £450/500 in years two and three. Now students will receive the enhanced grant from year one.
The higher level of grant incorporates additional funding provided to all research councils as part of the Government's 2000 spending review. "However, the MRC decided to go further than the Government's recommended minimum in order to attract current graduates contemplating a career in biomedical research to the MRC," Sir George explained.
This is a real increase in MRC's overall investment in postgraduate training, and will not be achieved by cutting numbers of studentships - the number of new research studentships this year will remain the same at 365 PhD's and around 100 Masters.
The MRC is also funding an extra 80 Masters degree studentships from 2003 in line with its support for flexible provision of the "1 & 3" programme of research training. The "1 &3" model allows the flexibility for postgraduates to spend a year researching for a Master's degree with the option to go onto a three year doctorate. High flyers can fast track onto a three year PhD. With the extra Masters' studentships MRC will be funding one research-oriented Masters studentship for every 2 PhD studentships.
The other initiative to have come from the MRC's training policy review is the introduction of salaried Pre-doctoral Fellowship appointments in MRC units, announced in October 2000. The £1m investment will enable the most talented of young researchers to launch their careers while working for the PhDs. The successful Fellows will work in MRC units or instituteson a salary of around £17,000 pa dependant upon age and experience (plus location allowance in London). The scheme will fund 15 fellowships a year for the next three years.
Sir George concluded: "Applicants of any nationality can compete for these highly prestigious awards and the first 15 Fellows will start work in October."
Professor Sir George Radda, MRC Chief Executive, said: "This significant rise in the postgraduate student stipend is one outcome of a review of the MRC's research training policy in a bid to maintain the competitiveness of the MRC package to attract high calibre applicants."
Both current students and new starters will receive the higher rate stipend in October this year. Previously, first year students received £7,450 (£9,900 in London) rising by an additional £450/500 in years two and three. Now students will receive the enhanced grant from year one.
The higher level of grant incorporates additional funding provided to all research councils as part of the Government's 2000 spending review. "However, the MRC decided to go further than the Government's recommended minimum in order to attract current graduates contemplating a career in biomedical research to the MRC," Sir George explained.
This is a real increase in MRC's overall investment in postgraduate training, and will not be achieved by cutting numbers of studentships - the number of new research studentships this year will remain the same at 365 PhD's and around 100 Masters.
The MRC is also funding an extra 80 Masters degree studentships from 2003 in line with its support for flexible provision of the "1 & 3" programme of research training. The "1 &3" model allows the flexibility for postgraduates to spend a year researching for a Master's degree with the option to go onto a three year doctorate. High flyers can fast track onto a three year PhD. With the extra Masters' studentships MRC will be funding one research-oriented Masters studentship for every 2 PhD studentships.
The other initiative to have come from the MRC's training policy review is the introduction of salaried Pre-doctoral Fellowship appointments in MRC units, announced in October 2000. The £1m investment will enable the most talented of young researchers to launch their careers while working for the PhDs. The successful Fellows will work in MRC units or instituteson a salary of around £17,000 pa dependant upon age and experience (plus location allowance in London). The scheme will fund 15 fellowships a year for the next three years.
Sir George concluded: "Applicants of any nationality can compete for these highly prestigious awards and the first 15 Fellows will start work in October."