Select Committee Silent on Funding – Bologna: the Bottom Line


The Council for the Mathematical Sciences (CMS) welcomes Monday’s release of the House of Commons Education and Skills Committee’s report on the Bologna Process (30 April 2007), and its emphasis that the aim of the Process is to create comparability and compatibility – rather than homogenisation – of higher education systems across a European Higher Education Area.

The CMS was pleased to learn that its concerns over the future of integrated Master’s courses had been noted by the Committee, and welcomed the recommendation that the Government should ensure that the European Commission removes the limit of 75 credits per calendar year, which could threaten to exclude integrated Master’s and one-year MSc courses from being classed as ‘Second Cycle’ qualifications.

However, the CMS was disappointed to note that the report fails to resolve the question of who will fund Second Cycle qualifications, despite this being raised by several organisations in their written evidence to the Committee. The issue still requires urgent attention at the governmental level.

These organisations include the CMS, the Heads of Department of Mathematical Sciences, the University of Leeds, the University of Oxford, the National Postgraduate Committee, Engineering Council UK, the Institute of Physics, the Institute of Civil Engineers, the National Union of Students and trade union Amicus.

Given the nature of Second Cycle courses, and the arrangements agreed for integrated Master’s courses, the CMS believes that the natural ‘parent body’ to fund the second cycle is the DfES rather than the Research Councils.

This issue must be addressed since Second Cycle qualifications form an essential part of the science base in the UK.

The House of Commons Education and Skills Committee’s report can be viewed at:
www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmeduski/205/205.pdf

ENDS

Notes for Editors

  1. The Council for the Mathematical Sciences (CMS) was established in 2001 by the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, the London Mathematical Society and the Royal Statistical Society to provide a forum for the three mathematical societies. Its purposes are:
    • to be proactive in representing the interests of mathematics to government, research councils and other public bodies;
    • to seek to promote good practice in the mathematics curriculum and its teaching and learning at all levels and in all sectors of education;
    • to respond coherently and effectively to proposals from government and other public bodies which may affect the mathematical community;
    • to work where relevant in consultation and co-operation with other bodies.
  2. The Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) is the professional and learned society for qualified and practising mathematicians. Its mission is to promote mathematics in industry, business, the public sector, education and research. Founded in 1964, the Institute now has 5500 members.
  3. The London Mathematical Society (LMS) is a learned society founded in 1865 for the promotion and extension of all branches of mathematics. It is an independent and self-financing charity, with a membership of over 2600 drawn from all parts of the UK and overseas.
  4. The Royal Statistical Society (RSS), founded in 1834, is one of the UK’s oldest learned and professional societies, with some 7200 members based in the United Kingdom and overseas. The purpose of the Royal Statistical Society is to develop, foster and disseminate statistical knowledge, methodology and good practice for the benefit of all society.
  5. For further information contact:

Caroline Davis (Mathematics Policy and Promotion Officer, LMS/IMA) De Morgan House, 57-58 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HS. Tel: + 44 (0)20 7927 0804 caroline.davis@lms.ac.uk

Martin Smith (Secretariat, CMS) De Morgan House, 57-58 Russell Square, London, WC1B 4HS. Tel: + 44 (0)20 7927 0803

Published