CZECH REPUBLIC

Universities to get more money for postgraduates
Czech public universities will receive 50% higher contributions for postgraduate students this year, Education Minister Robert Plaga said last week, adding that the ministry would like the conditions of the postgraduates and their quality to improve in the next few years, reports CTK.Until now, the state paid a university CZK90,000 (US$4,400) a year per postgraduate student. This sum will increase to CZK135,000 a year. The ministry's contribution will be CZK11,250 a month. Plaga said he hoped universities would find additional funds to pay postgraduates an even higher monthly salary.
Michal Zima, head of the Student Chamber of the Council of Universities, appreciated the marked increase in the contribution but he said the sum still is not ideal. Czech Postgraduates' Association head Katerina Cidlinska said the increase is insufficient. "It is a very low sum since this is actually a salary for people who are doing research," she said.
Full report on the Prague Daily Monitor site