Universities pay more to ease living pressure on city's doctoral candidates

More than 40,000 PhD candidates attending 35 universities in Beijing should find it a little easier to concentrate on their studies this year after learning they will benefit from the sharpest increase in stipends for 30 years.

The government said it wants the academics, who are sponsored by various ministries, to focus on their studies without worrying about financial burdens.

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The increase is easily the biggest for the national standard of doctoral stipend since it was introduced in 1980.

Adjustments had been made in line with inflation each year prior to 1996 before the stipend was frozen at around 250 yuan a month.

The new scheme boosts the monthly stipend to around 1,000 yuan.

Tsinghua University, Renmin University and Beijing Foreign Studies University immediately increased their levels to around 1,000 yuan and have also paid students a lump sum that accounts for the difference in the former stipend and the current one that dates back to September.

Peking University, having reformed its scholarship system in 2007, was already handing out 1,000 yuan per month to recipients of its first-class scholarship, which is awarded to most doctoral candidates. The rise brings them an extra 1,000 yuan.

Niu Zhikui, professor at the College of Education Administration at Beijing Normal University, said the original system, named "People's Stipend", was a product of the planned economy and reforms were long overdue.

The additional money is expected to ease the burden on PhD candidates and lessen their dependence on part-time jobs.

In 1996, the average income of urban residents was 6,210 yuan. The number has more than doubled to 15,781 yuan since, but State stipends to PhD candidates have remained unchanged.

Yang Yuliang, president of the elite Fudan University in Shanghai and former head of the State Council Education Diploma Office, was quoted by Guangming Daily as saying the low level of financial support for PhD candidates had affected the quality of education.

He suggested stipends should be increased so they are on par with the starting salary of a masters graduate.

Feng Can, a third-year PhD candidate at Tsinghua majoring in precision instruments, told METRO that before the rise, his monthly income was 1,050 yuan. It was made up of 250 yuan in State subsidies and 800 yuan from his lab.

"So, at the age of 28, I still have to call home for money from time to time," said Feng. "In the meantime, most of my mates from my undergraduate years own cars and houses."

The rise will mitigate the embarrassing situation for him. With an extra 750 yuan each month, his balance sheet will turn from a deficit to a slight surplus.

Chen Wei, president of Fujian Agriculture University, pointed out on Monday that 310 universities in China are capable of granting PhD degrees, compared to 253 in the US. Many Chinese universities grant more than 1,000 PhD degrees each year, and some grant as many as 1,400. Chen said only two universities in the US issue more than 700 PhD degrees each year.