A share of local graduate studies reaches the record in England

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The share of the upper research roles that local students fill in England is shrinking, as university leaders warn of “catastrophic” financing discounts for the sector.

UK students accountable for only 43 percent of 24,865 registrations to obtain full -time graduate research grades in universities in this school year, according to Office for students.

This number decreased from 47 percent of the participants in 2023-24, and 51 percent in 2017-18, the first data available from the regulator survey of highly funded education providers.

University leaders said that the discounts in financing research caused a decrease in the use of local students, threatening the United Kingdom’s ability to produce the skilled workforce required for the government’s industrial strategy.

“To achieve the type of growth led by the government that the government is looking for, we will need graduates with high -level qualifications to form the basis of the flexible workforce,” said Stephanie Smith, Deputy Director of Policy at the Russell Group at the leading universities.

Local research degrees are usually paid by granting or financing from research councils, governments and charitable societies, while students from abroad pay a higher share of the training course costs.

Simon Green, Vice President of Research at Salvord University, said, adding that the fees that do not approach the cost of providing these courses, adding that external financing has allowed universities to provide a doctorate “on cheap.”

He said that the escalation of financial pressures facing partners such as charities forced them to reduce the financing of research roles.

official Estimates Show only 44 percent of the cost of presenting research courses covered with academic fees and external care.

Green said that the sector was “increasingly dependent” on the development of the number of international students in profit achievement courses, such as business masters, but this flow was subjected to pressure after the visa restrictions provided by the previous conservative government.

While the eating of profitable master’s courses has decreased sharply since this policy change, the number of international students who start research courses has continued to grow.

However, this did not compensate for the decrease in the income of other fees, as research courses represent only 3 percent of the entrance abroad.

I have warned OFS that “Excessive optimism” On growth in international registrations, he achieved a financial crisis in the sector, with the danger of a A large bankruptcy can Most likely.

Deborara Bernitis, a deputy university consultant Cambridge, said that there was a “catastrophic fall” in financing the country that was distributed by some research councils.

“We have ways to try to compensate,” she said, but losing her five quantity of academic research since 2017-18 is “brutal.”

She added: “Cambridge sauce is secret that we have a unique ability to attract talents. Many of them come at this level at the postgraduate and post -PhD level.”

The government has committed to funding 8.8 billion pounds this year for Ukrai, the Research Authority that supports five research students. While this is in line with last year, universities They care The increasing cost of supporting students will reduce places.

The number of post -PhD students has already sponsored by Ukrai has already decreased more than five years in the past eight years, according to the demand for freedom of information by the Times.

Ukry said that she will not reduce the planned number of places for 2025 and will increase the minimum student salary by 8 percent of October, adding that postgraduate studies are part of the “basis” in its wallet.

Additional reports by Michael Bell