Trinity to Increase Stipend for Internal Research Schemes

ly-merged body consisting of the Postgraduate Workers’ Alliance of Ireland (PGWA) and the PhDs’ Collective Action Union (PCAU), said that “it is in the opinion of the PWO that this delay is unacceptable”.

“PhD researchers are denied protections for parental leave, sick leave, minimum wages, and workers’ rights under Irish law”, they added.

“The delay of this review signals that the Department of Higher Education and the Irish Government are apathetic to the Irish research and education crisis, and that the systemic issues faced by some of Ireland’s most talented researchers are not a priority.”

They finished: “We call for the review to be completed on its original timetable of the First Quarter of 2023 so that current and future PhD

An Ireland For All

and PG researchers can have their basic needs and rights addressed”.

In the same press release, Matt Murtagh, Data Officer of the PCAU, said: “This delay is incredibly disappointing and yet another sign that the welfare of postgraduate researchers is almost completely absent from decision making at the department”.

“You don’t need a review to know that no postgraduate researcher in Ireland is eligible for a minimum wage or basic protective leave”, he added.

“We need leadership and action now from those responsible for our welfare, not a vapid promise of potential action at some unspecified time in 2023.”

Conor Reddy, the President of PGWA at Trinity, added: “When government announced cost of living supports for IRC and SFI funded PhD re - searchers late last year, many of our members felt let down – non-IRC/ SFI PhDs were left unsupported and the €500 payment provided fell far short of what was needed to ease the burden felt by PhDs”.

“At the time, the supports and announcement of the Review into PhD Conditions were seen by some as little more than lip service, and a demonstration of ignorance by the Department”, he continued. “Today, with news of a further delay to the Review process, it’s hard to disagree with that sentiment.”

“This delay is tremendously disappointing, but a confirmation of the need for a large and well organised union for PhDs. We are disappointed but we will use this disappointment to build our Union and raise our voices in the months ahead.”

College has approved a proposal to consolidate its internal postgraduate research schemes and increase the stipends to €25k per year starting from September 2023.

The change comes as part of the Postgraduate Renewal Programme, which aims to fundamentally renew postgraduate education at Trinity and is currently in its first stages following consultation with members of the college community.

The increased stipend will apply to existing students on Trinity’s three internal research schemes for the duration of the award – the Ussher, 1252 Postgraduate Research Studentships and the Provost PhD award – as well as students beginning their research in September on a new programme bringing all three schemes together. College Board also ap - proved a proposal to waive the fee differential charged to individual schools for postgraduate researchers who are recruited through Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), the Irish Research Council (IRC) and the Health Research Board. This will be introduced as a pilot for all researchers beginning their studies in September 2023.

In an email statement, Dean of Graduate Studies at Trinity Martine Smith said: “Both of these initiatives are important steps in a much bigger ambition, which is to transform the funding landscape for PhD researchers and to fundamentally review the supports for PhD researchers and supervisors alike.

She continued: “We are acutely aware that the students who will benefit from this stipend uplift represent only a small proportion of our overall cohort of research students”.

“A national review of the funding supports for PhD students is underway and we will continue to advocate through this forum as well as through the Irish Universities Association for living stipends for all PhD students as an essential policy move”, she finished.

In a statement to The University Times on the stipend increases, TCD Postgraduate Workers Organisation (PWO) said: “This is definitely a step in the right direction, and also a clear sign to other universities and funding agencies that the current stipend is far too low”.

Despite this, they said, they would “like the university to go further and apply pressure on the departments to follow suit, and raise the funding level those being funded by TCD at any level to 25k”.

“Additionally, many of our demands in the Fair Researcher Agreement can only achieved through an employment based model for postgraduate researchers. This includes access to sick and personal leave, and addressing the visa issues faced by non-EEA researchers.”

College Appoints Professor

Ryan as Dean of Research

Ailbhe Noonan Editor

College has an- nounced that Professor Sinéad Ryan will take over from Professor Wolfgang Schmitt as Dean of Research.

The Dean of Research is responsible for overseeing and coordinating research, innovation, technology transfer and entrepreneurship strategies within College. They also chair the Research Subcommittee, which is designed to “formulate policy on all research-related matters which impact on the strategic objectives of the College”.

Professor Ryan has previously served as the Head