University secures research bursary

The University of Wolverhampton has secured a prestigious bursary which will enable a student or graduate to carry out research into work placements.

The University successfully bid for the £1,500 ASET Research Student Placement Bursary which will enable an undergraduate or recent graduate to carry out research over eight weeks.

The successful candidate will conduct research into whether placements should be organised centrally, or managed by the academic departments the students are enrolled with.

They will select six universities with different structures to analyse and present their findings at the ASET conference in September.

ASET is the Work-Based and Placement Learning Association and this is the first time the Research Student Placement Bursary has been available, and only one was awarded.

Wolverhampton will now start advertising the placement, with the successful candidate due to start their research in July.

Employer Engagement Manager at the University, Helene Turley, said: “We are delighted to have secured this bursary, which will enable a student or graduate to carry out research into an important issue for the higher education sector.

“A good placement function is invaluable with the changes in funding for universities and the importance now placed on employability and employment. With the re-structuring of UK higher education, the question of whether placements should be organised centrally or managed within academic departments is likely to become even more relevant than it is now.”

The bursary is available to a student or recent graduate who not only has an interest in work-based learning but who also has strong research skills and report writing skills. The successful person will be recruited via application and an interview with a panel.

The research will be carried out by using surveys and interviews. The student or graduate will contact all UK universities to ask if they will complete an online survey about their placement set-up.

From the survey they then will chose six UK universities to interview who have different set-ups for their placement function. As well as the pros and cons of the placement function the researcher will also look at the number of students on placement, from which subject areas, the number of staff supporting the placement function and plans for the future.