Moving PhD students on to staff contracts in the UK will worsen the financial pressures faced by doctoral candidates as they struggle with the cost of living, the Russell Group’s research lead has argued.
With inflation set to hit 11 per cent this year, pressure is growing on universities and funders to increase the minimum stipend of £16,032 for 2022-23, which was set last year when price rises were forecast to be far lower. More than 8,000 people have signed a petition launched by the University and College Union (UCU) calling on UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to commit an extra £44 million to ensure that this year’s stipend keeps pace with inflation.
