Outcome of the consultation on the STFC Education and Training Programme

In February 2010 STFC consulted all departments (PDF - link opens in a new window) currently holding STFC PhD fellowships and studentships on the balance of the education and training programme, for 2011 and beyond. This followed the re-prioritisation of the 2010 programme in the light of the announcement of STFC’s five-year investment strategy.

STFC sought views on the three options described below:

• Option 1: Zero postdoctoral fellowships; 12 advanced fellowships; 220 students per annum on average; 5 CASE students per annum.
  
  
• Option 2: Zero postdoctoral fellowships; 14 advanced fellowships; 210 students per annum on average; 5 CASE students per annum.
  
  
• Option 3: 10 postdoctoral fellowships; 10 advanced fellowships; 195 students per annum on average; 5 CASE students per annum.

The deadline for responses was 18 March. In total 71 departments were invited to comment and 45 submitted a response.

The responses showed a clear preference from the community for either Option 1 or Option 3, with opinion in the majority of departments divided almost 50:50 between these. There was little support for Option 2.

The STFC’s Education, Training and Careers Committee discussed the outcome and, in line with the high priority it places on studentships, recommended the option that maximises student numbers (Option 1).

STFC has accepted this recommendation so the postdoctoral fellowships scheme will not operate in 2010.

The Committee did, however, recommend that STFC should investigate the development of a scheme similar to the EPSRC's PhD Plus programme, to continue to provide some form of early-career support for researchers. This possibility, still under consideration, would provide a further year's support for the best students, immediately post-PhD.