Dear Professor Stuart Croft (Vice-Chancellor and President), Professor Caroline Meyer (Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research) and Professor Daniel Branch (Academic Director of Doctoral College).
On Friday (12/09/22), UKRI announced that its minimum stipend would be raised by 10%. Since then, the University has announced that they will match the minimum stipend amount for internally funded students as well as prioritise their hardship fund for PGRs that are self-funded. We welcome this news.
However, this increase in stipends will not be enough by January 2023, with Citi predicting inflation rates to hit 18%. In addition, the recent announcement from the University does not address the financial hardship of international students and those who are currently self-funded. These PGRs will face the sharp end of the cost of living and more support is needed.
PGRs students are, and have been, taking on precarious work to financially support themselves amid the cost of living crisis. Energy bills are extortionate, and rents have increased, leaving many PGRs little choice but to take up part-time work despite studying full-time to complete their PhDs. Whilst we recognise that the University has advised PGRs that they can apply for financial support via the Hardship fund, we understand this support is limited and a temporary ‘safety net’ for PGRs. Whilst we recognise the importance of having an accessible hardship fund, we believe this is not sustainable in supporting PGRs in the long-term.
We recognise that a few Universities have already stepped up and have invested a lot of money into supporting their PGRs. Sheffield Hallam University have recently announced that they will raise their new PhD stipends for internally funded PGRs equivalent to the net real living wage for 3.5 years, committing to raise it as the real living wage rises. In addition, Newcastle University Doctoral College have opened up a Cost-of-Living impact fund for PGR students who are not benefiting from an uplift in stipends. Universities across the sectors are taking additional steps to support their students. As such, we want to use this as an opportunity to implore the University to act in line with other Universities and to respond to the cost of living. We ask for:
A meeting with the senior management to discuss these issues with PGR, UCU and SU representatives
To provide immediate monthly or periodical bursaries in line with inflation rates and rising energy prices for all PGR students in the 2022/23 academic year.
To ensure parity of PGR policies across all P.H.D students despite funding streams, i.e., sick leave and parental leave to be extended to all PGRs who are not currently eligible.
To provide a fee waiver for all self-funded national and international PGR students during this academic year and equal opportunities
To cover the cost of Immigration Health Surcharge Fees for international students
To review the current hardship fund for PGR students to take into account the cost-of living crisis and ensure it is accessible for all. This includes increasing all pots of support funding i.e. research and travel allowances, in line with inflation. This also includes developing targeted support for groups with dependents, such as unpaid carers.
To commit to regularly reviewing the University PGR stipends and making subsequent changes to stipends in line with increasing inflation rates.
To develop emergency funding schemes for PGRs that are granted unfunded academic extensions, aside from the expansion of the Hardship Fund and similar.
Increasing the number of scholarships and funding opportunities made available that are in line with inflation increases, allowing students to reapply for departmental funding post-first year, and offering funded extensions to all PGRs, including migrant students
We hope that the University can act decisively on this. We’re more than happy to meet with the University Senior Management Team in the coming weeks.Yours sincerely,
- Mr. Louis Stockwell, PGR
- Ms. Fleur Martin, PGR
- Ms. Nathalie Cooper, PGR
- Miss. Deema Khunda, PGR
- Mr. Niels Jan Boender, PGR
- Miss. Imogen Knox, PGR
- Ms. Erin Geraghty, PGR
- Mr. Jack Bowman, PGR
- Miss. Rose Miyonga, PGR
- Miss. Leiyun NI, PGR
- Ms. Cheng He, PGR
- Silvia Naydenova, PGR
- Ms. Evelyn Strongylakou, PGR
- Mr. Iason Papaioannou-Turner, PGR
- Mr. Guillermo Alonso Simón, PGR
- Ms. Daeun Jung, PGR
- Miss. Danniella Jaye Verity, PGR
- Miss. Sophie Clarke, PGR
- Professor Charlotte Heath Kelly, Staff
- Dr. Gavin Schwartz-Leeper, Staff
- Ms. Ninna Makrinov, Staff
- Dr. Sivamohan Valluvan
- Miss. Syeda Khatun, Student
- Dr. Pierre Botcherby
- Dr. Anastasia Stavridou, Staff, University of Manchester
- Ms. Bronwen Mehta, Staff
- Miss. Beckie Rutherford, PGR
- Mr. Osamu Miyamae, Student
- Ms. Leah Rachel Rea, PGR
- Miss, Sumai Abdirizak, Student
- Miss, Tor Riches, Student
- Miss, Carys Hill, PGR
- Mr. Caleb Day, Durham University
- Miss. Tooba Mohiuddin Ahmed, University of St. Andrews
- Miss. Nazifa Zaman, Warwick alumni
- Dr. Cath Lambert, University of Warwick
- Ms. Laura Büllesbach, Goldsmiths University
- Ms. Mhairi Playford-Brown, Goldsmiths University
- Miss. Catrina Brizzi, Goldsmiths University
- Ms. Jessie Martin, University of West London
- Miss. Liuyue Yang, PGR, University of Warwick
- Miss. Mathilde Alain, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mrs. Asma Abdi, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. Sergei Zotov, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. Campbell Orchard, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. Brendan Tam, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mx. Shekinah Vera-Cruz, PGR, University of Warwick
- Ms. Michaela Pawley, PGR, University of Warwick
- Ms. Emily Thelwell, PGR, University of Warwick
- Miss. Mia Edwards, PGR, University of Warwick
- Miss. Manuela Marai, PGR, University of Warwick
- Nathan Parsons, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. Ronan Mainprize, PGR, University of Warwick
- Reem Abuzaid, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. Carlos Abelardo dos Santos, PGR, University of Warwick
- Ms. Melissa Yip, Student, University of Warwick
- Miss. Elena Claudi, PGR, University of Warwick
- Ms. Shalini Rudra, PGR, University of Warwick
- Miss. Lucrezia Sperindio, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. Ankit Shanker, PGR, University of Warwick
- Ms. Alba Priewe, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. Nicolai Gellwitzki, PGR, University of Warwick
- Ms. Saadia Gardezi, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. Dogachan Dagi, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. Chase Johnson, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. William Alexander Haigh, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. Tom Howe, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. Mohamed El-Shewy, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. Gah-Kai Leung, PGR, University of Warwick
- Ms. Liz Egan, PGR, University of Warwick
- Miss. Imo Kaufman, PGR, University of Nottingham
- Miss. Laura Ewart, PGR, Nottingham Trent University
- Miss. Claudia Di Tosto, PGR, University of Warwick
- Ms. Maria Chiara Scuderi, PGR, University of Leicester
- Dr. Fabiola Creed, University of Warwick
- Ms. Maria Tauber, PGR, University of Warwick
- Ms. Anaïs Walsdorf, PGR, University of Warwick
- Mr. Danny Kane, PGR University of Warwick
- Miss. Kayleigh Charlton, PGR, University of Bath
