PLANS to make all prospective research students spend a year on a
鈥渂ridging鈥� course have all but evaporated. Last year鈥檚 White Paper on Science
and Technology said a new one-year degree 鈥� the Master of Research 鈥� would be
the 鈥渘ormal first step鈥� to postgraduate education. But last week the
government backpedalled, announcing that it wants to test the idea with a
pilot scheme before deciding what role it should play.
The MRes was intended to teach would-be scientists how to organise their
research and train them in management and communication. If graduates felt
they were not cut out for research they would still have something to show for
their year鈥檚 work, including skills that would be attractive to employers in
industry. Those who went on to complete a doctorate would be better equipped
for jobs outside universities.
The plan caused an outcry from academics and industry, which did not want
the MRes to be compulsory. They argued that for those who went on to do
research, the MRes would just add another year to their training. The
Confederation of British Industry said employers would view those who left
with just an MRes as failed PhD candidates.
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Senior officials at the Office of Science and Technology now say they have
鈥渕oved on鈥� from the original proposals after receiving almost 300 comments on
the planned MRes. Over the next few months, the research councils, which will
fund the MRes, will work out the content of courses with universities. The
courses will begin next autumn with around 250 students.
Most of the courses will be dominated by research projects, but they will
also include modules designed to broaden industrial awareness. 鈥淲e are
grooming people with technical skills for wider careers,鈥� says an official
from the OST.
There is widespread relief that the degree will not be compulsory 鈥淚鈥檓 very
happy it hasn鈥檛 been foisted on us,鈥� says John Mulvey, secretary of the lobby
group, Save British Science. The Royal Society is also pleased by the
government鈥檚 decision. 鈥淚t鈥檚 gone to a limited pilot 鈥� largely, we suspect, in
response to the negative reaction from the academic community,鈥� says Robert
Rees, the society鈥檚 education officer. 鈥淲e supported the general aims of
bringing in broader skills development.鈥�
Michael Powell of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals says the
MRes could provide a 鈥渢aster鈥� course for people unsure whether to pursue a
career in research.