Union Secures PhD Pay Rise
Wednesday 31 Jan 2007
Following discussion with the Union, the College Management Board last week made a commitment that all home and EU PhD students will receive a minimum stipend of £14,300 from August 2007. Currently, many students funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) receive only £12,300, despite the recommended London weighting being £14,300. This commitment not only applies to new students, but also those students currently registered on a PhD at Imperial.
The issue was first raised by PhD students in the Department of Mathematics at the end of last term. Following consultation with student representatives in both meetings and an academic forum it was resolved that the Union should campaign for all students, regardless of their funding source, to receive the London weighting. Working with Ben Harris, ICU Deputy President (Education and Welfare), research student representatives Eirini Spencer and Daniel Sauder compiled a dossier revealing that the majority of departments within Engineering and Physical Sciences failed to pay all their students the London weighting.
This research was used to produce a presentation given to the Strategic Education Committee (which has no regular student presence) by Ben Harris and John Collins, ICU President. The committee unanimously endorsed the proposal put forward by Prof. Borysiewicz, Imperial College Deputy Rector, that the issue should be taken to the management board with the recommendation that all PhD students should be paid the London weighting.
What does this mean for students? With the ever increasing cost of living in London, this commitment will help ensure that all PhD students are able to fully fund their studies.
This is a great example of what Sabbaticals can do to help improve College life for all students and also confirms the positive attitude of College towards issues like this being raised and quickly dealt with.