Currently, universities whose research students are funded by one of the seven UK Research Councils receive extra funding to provide skills training and professional development for all postgraduate research students. This extra money is scheduled to end in early 2011.

Universities are currently examining how they will afford to continue to provide this service, and it is crucial that students' unions are involved in these conversations to make sure the postgraduate researcher voice is heard in the debate.

NUS Postgraduate Campaign has produced a short one-page briefing explaining the background of this skills funding provision, the current issues and what unions can do to argue for postgraduate researchers.

For more information or to raise union-specific issues, contact us.

Download the briefing on the future of PGR skills training.

For more information on researcher development and skills training, check out the website of the organisation that champions researcher development in the UK, Vitae.