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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Women engineers boosted by postgraduate grants plan | Women engineers boosted by postgraduate grants plan |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Would-be women engineers will get extra financial support next year under a government scheme in England. | |
| The Brunel University project will give grants of £1,250 a month to 40 women on postgraduate engineering courses. | The Brunel University project will give grants of £1,250 a month to 40 women on postgraduate engineering courses. |
| It's part of a £25m pilot scheme to boost postgraduate study, particularly among under-represented groups. | It's part of a £25m pilot scheme to boost postgraduate study, particularly among under-represented groups. |
| "Only around a quarter of students on engineering master's courses are women," said Brunel engineering lecturer, Petra Gratton. | "Only around a quarter of students on engineering master's courses are women," said Brunel engineering lecturer, Petra Gratton. |
| "Bluntly speaking, that has to change if UK engineering is going to continue to compete as successfully as it currently does. | "Bluntly speaking, that has to change if UK engineering is going to continue to compete as successfully as it currently does. |
| Women 'vital' | Women 'vital' |
| "Encouraging more women into the profession is vital to the country's economic future." | "Encouraging more women into the profession is vital to the country's economic future." |
| Ms Gratton added that the project would explore what holds back female engineers "from realising their full career potential". | Ms Gratton added that the project would explore what holds back female engineers "from realising their full career potential". |
| "While some may see this as positive discrimination the stark reality is that UK plc can no longer afford not to exploit fully this enormous potential talent pool. | "While some may see this as positive discrimination the stark reality is that UK plc can no longer afford not to exploit fully this enormous potential talent pool. |
| "Every British engineering company will tell you they face crippling skills shortages and without radical action that can only get worse." | "Every British engineering company will tell you they face crippling skills shortages and without radical action that can only get worse." |
| A spokesman for Brunel added that the university was trying to dispel the myth that engineers spend most of their time on site, wearing hard hats. | A spokesman for Brunel added that the university was trying to dispel the myth that engineers spend most of their time on site, wearing hard hats. |
| "At advanced level, engineering is very much an office-based profession, where the emphasis is working with teams on a collaborative basis. These skills are areas where women have traditionally excelled." | "At advanced level, engineering is very much an office-based profession, where the emphasis is working with teams on a collaborative basis. These skills are areas where women have traditionally excelled." |
| The bursaries, from the Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE), will support more than 2,800 master's students on a total of 20 projects at 40 universities. | The bursaries, from the Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE), will support more than 2,800 master's students on a total of 20 projects at 40 universities. |
| They are available from January 2014 until August 2015. | They are available from January 2014 until August 2015. |
| The move follows growing concerns that postgraduate study risks becoming too exclusive, with high fees and limited funding squeezing out poorer students. | The move follows growing concerns that postgraduate study risks becoming too exclusive, with high fees and limited funding squeezing out poorer students. |
| Successive reports have described existing funding arrangements as "breathtakingly inadequate", in need of overhaul, and risking "great and lasting" damage to postgraduate study. | Successive reports have described existing funding arrangements as "breathtakingly inadequate", in need of overhaul, and risking "great and lasting" damage to postgraduate study. |
| The scheme aims to test ways of supporting graduates to continue their studies, particularly those who might otherwise be discouraged - or simply priced out. | The scheme aims to test ways of supporting graduates to continue their studies, particularly those who might otherwise be discouraged - or simply priced out. |
| Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said: "Postgraduate study is good for students, good for universities and good for the economy. | Universities and Science Minister David Willetts 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." | "We want talented graduates from all backgrounds to feel inspired and able to continue their education." |
| 'Quick fixes' | 'Quick fixes' |
| National Union of Students (NUS) vice president Rachel Wenstone described the move "as a really positive step" but added "there is still more work to do to get a fair and sustainable funding solution that works for students and for institutions". | National Union of Students (NUS) vice president Rachel Wenstone described the move "as a really positive step" but added "there is still more work to do to get a fair and sustainable funding solution that works for students and for institutions". |
| "We will continue to lobby the government to ensure that we get long term solutions, not just quick fixes." | "We will continue to lobby the government to ensure that we get long term solutions, not just quick fixes." |
| Ms Wenstone said the NUS would closely monitor the trials and "campaign for these support systems to be permanent and continued". | Ms Wenstone said the NUS would closely monitor the trials and "campaign for these support systems to be permanent and continued". |
| The scheme also encourages universities to form partnerships with employers to attract external funding for postgraduate courses and improve students' employability through work placements. | The scheme also encourages universities to form partnerships with employers to attract external funding for postgraduate courses and improve students' employability through work placements. |
| A separate project at Brunel, supported by industrial partners including BP and Network Rail, will fund both male and female students on a multi-disciplinary master's course focused on real life engineering problems. | A separate project at Brunel, supported by industrial partners including BP and Network Rail, will fund both male and female students on a multi-disciplinary master's course focused on real life engineering problems. |