CANADA: Universities squabble over research funding

Smaller schools across Canada are up in arms over a proposal from five of the country's largest universities to concentrate research and graduate studies in the big institutions, reports CBC News. The leaders of McGill University and the universities of British Columbia, Alberta, Toronto and Montreal have proposed a national strategy for higher education that would see top research dollars go to fewer schools, in an effort to better use resources available.

The larger schools would also have the lion's share of graduate students under the proposal, which was first floated last month in an issue of Maclean's magazine. One of the deciding factors for approving research grant applications is the number of highly qualified personnel who will be trained as part of the project, including PhD or graduate students.

The proposal has stirred controversy among the heads of smaller schools, many of whom feel graduate programs are an important part of any academic institution. Atlantic Canada universities are also concerned their region would be left behind if graduate studies and research dollars left.
Full report on the CBC News site