Postgraduate boost for master’s students at Teesside

Students thinking about progressing to postgraduate study could receive an extra incentive after Teesside University secured funding to provide 40 scholarships.

The scholarships, for the 2014/15 academic year, will be in postgraduate courses relating to science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). They will cover the fees for both full-time and part-time courses.

Teesside University will also be taking part in a collaborative research project to investigate the expectations and attitudes of students, universities and employers towards postgraduate programmes taught in these subject areas.

The University is part of a consortium, led by Kingston University and also comprising Manchester Metropolitan and the Universities of Plymouth, Portsmouth, Brighton, Coventry, Wolverhampton and Lincoln. The consortium was one of 20 successful bids to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) Postgraduate Support Scheme.

The HEFCE Postgraduate Support Scheme is a £25 million programme that will provide work placements and financial and pastoral support to thousands of postgraduate students. A key aim of the scheme is to encourage students who would not otherwise progress to this level to take up master’s study.

Teesside University, along with the partners in its consortium, will receive £2.7 million for the project - £1.85 million from HEFCE and the rest from other stakeholders – with 40 scholarships being offered at each of the nine universities.

The initiative will encourage students to continue on to postgraduate study in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and then track how they fare after graduation.

Professor Eileen Martin, Teesside University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), said: 'We are delighted to have been involved in a successful bid for postgraduate funding. A postgraduate qualification can hugely benefit the academic and professional careers of our students.

'Not only will this funding provide postgraduate scholarships here at Teesside, but the collaborative research will allow us to find out more about the expectations and experiences of students, universities and employers who support and partake in postgraduate study.'

David Willetts, the Universities and Science Minister, said: 'Postgraduate study is good for students, good for universities, and good for the economy.

'We want talented graduates from all backgrounds to feel inspired and able to continue their education. This £25 million investment will help develop partnerships, explore different ways of financing postgraduate study, and attract students from less advantaged backgrounds to postgraduate education.'

Details about the scholarships and how to apply will be announced in the New Year.

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