The report, ‘One Step Beyond: Making the most of postgraduate education’ prepared by Professor Adrian Smith, Director General of Science and Research, was published today by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills.

Members of GuildHE and CREST (the Consortium for Research Excellence, Support and Training) will find the recommendations especially important as they develop their strategies for postgraduate education in the next decade. GuildHE expects to contribute positively to implementing the recommendations in the report.

Alice Hynes, CEO of GuildHE, said:

"The Review does a valuable job drawing attention to the real asset of postgraduate education and its wide range and significant impact of presence beyond simplistic views of research concentration in a few globally important providers. GuildHE, as representative body for a number of HEIs with world class islands of excellence in research, strongly supports the conclusions of the report that postgraduate study is critical for the broadening of the economy and society in the 21st century. The interaction between HEIs and their business and professional communities to achieve innovation and entrepreneurship can be strengthened by more effective postgraduate education.  GuildHE and CREST members are also glad to see the report acknowledge the current "glass ceiling" that exists in UK postgraduate education, where talents developed at undergraduate levels are not grown further at doctorate levels – this must change.

"There are key messages from the report for Lord Browne, not least of which is the lack of data on postgraduate education. This is preventing good understanding of the issues and appropriate policy development. GuildHE is as well placed as Universities UK to engage with the issues raised in the report, having strongly argued for recognition of the excellence in practice based research that exists in many of the more specialist institutions.

"Working with UKCES and appropriate employer bodies will be critical but it is also vital to recognise that much of the innovation in postgraduate study needs to be in newly developing industries with SMEs where formal employer bodies are not in place. In fact, HEIs have material from their alumni and part time professional staff which provides them with highly sophisticated information on the future needs of the industries they serve, especially when linked to research development and knowledge transfer activities."

Notes

1. The report, ‘One Step Beyond: Making the most of postgraduate education’ is available to download here

2. GuildHE is the home for CREST – the Consortium for Research Excellence, Support and Training – a group of HEIs working together to develop research and postgraduate support for islands of research excellence.

3. GuildHE is a recognised representative organisation within the higher education sector, similar to Universities UK. 

4. GuildHE members lead institutions which emphasise a strong focus on teaching alongside research, are among the most dynamic and fastest-growing institutions in higher education.
 
5. For more information, please contact :

Alice Hynes
GuildHE Chief Executive
Tel: 020 7387 7711
Email: alice.hynes@guildhe.ac.uk