Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2022
1279. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total cost of PhD stipends to higher education institutions; the average value of a PhD stipend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30633/22]
View answerImpact 2030, Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy prioritises the nurturing and development of talent and excellence to build on Ireland’s reputation as an Island of Talent and a location for research excellence and impact. We recognise that the quality of our researchers is fundamental to the quality of our research system and its collaboration with partners in industry and policymakers, both in Ireland and abroad. The strategy also highlights the need to foster an environment within the research and innovation community that supports our ambition to be an Island of Inclusion and Engagement.
A stipend is a well-established feature of funded postgraduate awards globally, providing an income to the awardee in recognition of the need to devote themselves on a full-time basis to their research. My Department’s agency, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) does not currently collect data on the costs of PhD stipends to higher education institutions.
With regard to the total cost of stipends to higher education institutions and their average value, there are many ways in which PhD education is financed. By way of illustration, the most recent Higher Education Expenditure on Research and Development (HERD) Survey 2018/19 carried out by my Department, found that there were 10,044 research students (doctoral and masters by research) in 2018, of which 3,901 (39%) were fully self-funded. The majority of PhD students are in receipt of grants from their individual institutions and other research funders such as the Irish Research Council (IRC), Science Foundation Ireland (SFI).
Our priority under Impact 2030 is to ensure a consistent research student experience, regardless of funding source. This reflects the National Framework for Doctoral Education which is being advanced by the associated National Advisory Forum which is co-chaired by two of my agencies: the Higher Education Authority and Quality and Qualifications Ireland.
My Department monitors the issue of stipends, in the context of the resources available to the competitive research funding agencies under the aegis of my Department and the competing needs to which they can be allocated. In that regard, I was pleased to be able to allocate additional funding to the IRC in 2021 to enable it to increase postgraduate scholarships by €2,500 per annum, or 16%, from €16,000 to €18,500. This was made effective from 1 January 2021 and, together with an increase to funding for postdoctoral salaries, benefited close to 1,300 early-career researchers in the system. The move also aligned the stipend level for both competitive funding agencies within my Department, i.e. the IRC and SFI.
Under the Student Grant Scheme 2021, a student in receipt of a postgraduate research award where the stipend portion of the award does not exceed €18,500 may apply to the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) for financial assistance under the Student Grant Scheme 2021.
Other research funders in the national system include the Health Research Board and Teagasc. There are also typically a number of PhDs funded through European Programmes and individual HEI schemes. My Department allocates recurrent funding to the HEA for direct disbursement to HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding as a block grant to the institutions and as autonomous bodies, the internal disbursement of this funding is a matter for the individual institution.
Research students in receipt of grants must comply with the terms of their funding award from these bodies, which can vary from funder to funder.
