Training wanted

Postgraduate research students want mandatory training in research methods, a new study has found.

Only half of PhD students are given research methods training, according to the survey conducted for education marketing and research agency Heist.

But the vast majority agreed that training should be a compulsory part of all research programmes.

Heist is lobbying the Quality Assurance Agency to put research methods training "high on the agenda".

PhD students with lecturing responsibilities also wanted compulsory teacher training, the survey of 1,100 research student across six universities found.

Half of respondents had teaching duties, but only a handful had been given any training.