THE Island’s postgraduate bursary scheme “falls short in several key ways”, the Jersey International Centre of Advanced Studies has told a group of politicians reviewing the lifelong vocational learning opportunities available to Islanders.
JICAS, which is a charitable postgraduate research facility that offers a masters degree programme centred around Island biodiversity and conservation, made the comments in a written submission to the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel.
The panel is examining local opportunities for lifelong vocational learning, such as the provision and accessibility of further education as well as apprenticeship programmes.
In its submission, JICAS argued that Jersey’s postgraduate bursary scheme “falls short in several key ways”.
It criticised the cap of £10,000 per applicant and, among other concerns, contended that there was “no organising principle for which the bursary is awarded” and “no preference” given to students who undertake postgraduate programmes in the Island.
“Over the past eight academic years, JICAS has awarded well over £100,000 of bursaries to Jersey residents undertaking our MSc Island Biodiversity and Conservation to compensate for these shortcomings, of which many would not have been able to undertake the programme if JICAS had not covered these costs,” the submission continued.
“The impact this has had on our bottom-line is staggering and we are not in a position to
carry these Jersey resident bursaries forward.”
JICAS also described the current lifelong vocational learning provision in Jersey as “scattered amongst several institutions”, adding that “there is no attempt to centralise the offerings for the purpose of producing the necessary economies of scale that would, in turn, provide more opportunities.”
