Overseas Research Students (Hansard, 10 July 2002)

§ Lord Hunt of Chesterton
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will increase the funding, via the Higher Education Funding Council, of exceptionally talented overseas research students to ensure the continuing excellence and international competitiveness of scholarships and research in leading United Kingdom universities.

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland)
My Lords, decisions on funding for the overseas research student awards scheme are determined by the Higher Education Funding Council for England. The scheme's budget for the 2002–03 academic year will be a maximum of £12 million, compared with £11.2 million last year. Up to 850 new awards and 1,400 renewals will be made under the scheme to individual research students.

§ Lord Hunt of Chesterton
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. However, are the Government aware that without further expansion of the current scheme or an equivalent one, and without improved work permit arrangements, leading UK universities which are losing UK university research students will not be able to offer places to the ablest scholars from around the world, who will clearly be deflected to the United States?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, we are very concerned to ensure that we have as many opportunities as possible for students to come here from overseas to engage in research. My noble friend will be aware of the initiative to that effect launched by the Prime Minister. I am pleased that the number of international higher education students in this country is increasing dramatically. Noble Lords will be pleased to know that the non-EU total for international students has increased this year to 141,000, compared with 110,000 in 1996–97. In looking at our strategy for higher education, the valid points which my noble friend has made are taken into account.

§ Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior
My Lords, while I support the concept behind the question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Chesterton, I hope that the Minister believes it is important that, when these students have completed their studies here and obtained their degrees or done their post-doctoral 680 work, they will return to their own countries and have a strong input into the development of excellence in science there. Is that not important?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, the noble Lord makes a very important point. It is essential that, as part of the global scientific community, we ensure that we have the right kind of research and those opportunities to collaborate. Those students benefit this country, and they should be able to do the same for their own nation.

§ Baroness Howe of Idlicote
My Lords, I should first declare an interest as a governor of the LSE and as vice-chairman of the Open University. In view of the mounting financial crisis in universities, does the Minister agree that if our universities are to maintain the standards of excellence necessary to attract the outstanding students for whom this ORS scheme is designed, the Government clearly have to set free the universities not only to increase their fees significantly, but of course to retain the proceeds?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, the noble Baroness raises an important point. I am sure that noble Lords are fully aware of the current review of student finance. They may also be aware from this morning's press of the major strategy paper that we shall publish in the autumn. These questions are very much part of the Government's thinking.

§ Lord Roberts of Conwy
My Lords, is the noble Baroness able to confirm or deny the story in The Times this morning that education is a big winner in the Comprehensive Spending Review?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, that is a great question for the noble Lord's birthday, which I understand is today. However, I am unable to confirm or deny that. Noble Lords may have noticed that I have my fingers crossed.

§ Baroness Sharp of Guildford
My Lords, the Minister will be aware of the prestigious Marie Curie scholarships which are granted by the European Commission. To what extent is Britain receiving its fair share of these young scholars to work in our laboratories, and to what extent are our own scholars gaining this opportunity to work in laboratories abroad?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, as I knew that the noble Baroness is interested in this issue, I was careful to ensure that I had the information. The United Kingdom has the highest take-up rate among those receiving awards under the Marie Curie scheme. The noble Baroness will be very pleased to hear that the United Kingdom is the number one destination for award recipients. Some 30 per cent come here, with 17 per cent going to France and 10.5 per cent to Germany. I have been unable to ascertain the flow of traffic in the opposite direction, but I shall of course write to her when I have that information.

§ Lord Rotherwick
My Lords, will the Minister soon be reviewing the salary level of all those working in higher education, to ensure that our students do not become overseas students in the near future?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, the noble Lord raises the important issue of academic pay. Noble Lords will not only have heard me and others talk about that issue; they will also be aware of the additional funding for higher education pay—£170 million for 2003–04, for example—that we made available in the last spending review. We are also considering introducing a scheme of "golden hellos" for new staff in shortage subjects. As noble Lords will be aware, we expect to announce those plans in the autumn. We very clearly examine what is happening to academic salaries around the globe. Research by organisations such as the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the US National Center for Education Statistics shows that, although there are disparities in some cases, academic salary levels are roughly the same.

§ Lord Wallace of Saltaire
My Lords, is the Minister aware of the immense value of the Chevening scholarship scheme—which I realise is not sponsored by her department—in bringing the younger generation of potential world leaders to British universities? Can she assure us that that scheme will be maintained and, if possible, expanded further? A number of my former students are now rapidly rising up the political, administrative and other ladders in their own countries. That is a long-term investment for Britain.

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, indeed, I can give that commitment. I assure the noble Lord that we are keen to ensure that we have long-term relationships with other countries. I understand from my noble friend that we have increased the Chevening scholarship.

§ Baroness Williams of Crosby
My Lords, I declare an interest as a professor emeritus in an American university. Does the Minister accept that the real comparison has to be between the salaries paid in the United States and those paid in this country as most able graduates who are in the market for academic jobs are attracted to the United States rather than to anywhere else? Does she not agree that salaries in the United States are of the order of one-and-a-half to two times greater in real terms than in this country and that there is a serious continuing brain drain to American universities?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, I have looked carefully at the figures for American universities. As the noble Baroness will be aware—she deservedly holds a post at a prestigious American university—salaries at American universities vary considerably. The noble Baroness makes an important point. The average professor at certain American universities receives a salary well in excess of 100,000 682 US dollars. As I say, there is great variety in that area. We consider carefully what we should be doing in that regard across the whole field of higher education.