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[cid:image001.png@01CC778C.D3604410] *Apologies for any cross-posting* Dear Colleague, Summer Conference 2012 2nd - 3rd July 2012 The Burlington Hotel, Birmingham http://www.ukcge.ac.uk/events/eventsarea/sc12 For the first time the UKCGE Summer Conference has a number of reserved presentation slots for Offered Papers from the sector. These are aimed at providing an opportunity for institutions to present their strategies for postgraduate provision. The Government's White Paper on Higher Education Reform 2010 was virtually silent about the postgraduate sector with only cursory mention of postgraduate taught provision. Since then, despite a number of lobby groups requesting clarification of the postgraduate sector, there has little of no government statement forthcoming. It wasn't until the HEFCE funding letter of February 2012 that the sector knew whether or not PGT will continue to be funded by HEFCE. In a similar vein, the HEFCE funding of PGR through the RDP component of QR is still the subject of uncertainty but with a promise of a change in the funding formula that will favour high RAE quality and drive research concentration. Likewise, Research Council studentship funding with its switch to DTCs/DTPs has fuelled this concentration. A lack of clarity for the PG sector has seen a flurry of meetings in Whitehall and elsewhere and prompted the Higher Education Commission to establish a Postgraduate Inquiry and a call for evidence. Furthermore HEFCE have initiated a discussion group to discuss the future of their postgraduate funding. All this is occurring against a backdrop of the QAA revision of its Code of Practice and the section of the Code for research degrees will be finalised and "go live" in June 2012.Furthermore, the international reputation of UK research and research degrees and doctoral training is being evermore scrutinised, admired and emulated around the world. So why does the postgraduate sector in the UK feel forgotten and overlooked? And what can HEI's do about it? The UKCGE Summer Conference 2012 has secured a unique opportunity for the HE sector to engage with the HEC PG Inquiry in a pre-publication discussion of issues and priorities emerging from the call for evidence (which closed on 2nd April 2012). This will also be an opportunity to come together to listen to keynote addresses from key players in the postgraduate sector and to discuss and debate a range of issues which will signpost and shape the postgraduate sector for the next 10 years. The Executive Committee of the UKCGE hope that you will join them in this landmark conference and contribute to the ongoing discussion For further details, and to book your place at this event, please visit: http://www.ukcge.ac.uk/events/eventsarea/sc12 Best wishes Angus [cid:image006.png@01CC778C.D3604410] Angus Burns Events Officer UK Council for Graduate Education Lichfield Centre The Friary Lichfield WS13 6QG Tel: 01543 308603 Fax: 01543 308604 Mobile: 07858 522130 http://www.ukcge.ac.uk<http://www.ukcge.ac.uk/>