Academics around the world protest fee hikes and budget cuts
Financial difficulties affect researchers at all career stages
PhD researchers around the world are protesting against low stipends that see them earning barely enough to live on. But they’re not the only people in academia demanding more financial support.
Rapid inflation has left undergraduate students struggling to get by on grants and student loans, compounding financial difficulties that some were already experiencing after losing part-time jobs in hospitality and retail during the Covid-19 pandemic. In Ireland, thousands of students walked out of lectures and classes on 13 October last year to demand the abolition of the €2000 annual student contribution charge (paid by all undergraduates who qualify for ‘free fees’ status), better protection for renters and grants that match the cost of living.