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Oxford graduate applicants 2009/2010

I have an offer for a DPhil. But need to get funding now - the fees are 35k for the whole programme. And that's for UK/ EU students...

Reply 81

Eubacterium

13

ben_l

I can't be the only one who finds it slightly depressing that Linnacre offers a 'Coca Cola Scholarship'

What's wrong with it? It's a food company afterall...which might want graduates to undertake research into its products and it's always good to have more sources of funding.

Reply 82

blancblanc

Congrats on the DPhil offer! :yep:

Reply 83

Pelle

Thanks. Good luck for your applications.

When are deadlines?

__WiZaRD__

When are deadlines?

One was last week, the next one is in January.

Reply 86

apotoftea

19

Socrates

One was last week, the next one is in January.

23rd Jan to be precise :biggrin:

Reply 87

ben_l

Eubacterium

What's wrong with it? It's a food company afterall...which might want graduates to undertake research into its products and it's always good to have more sources of funding.

Because I would like to think that some places and things remain free from mass-market corporate influence/branding, and Oxford University and postgraduate academia come under that category.

Reply 88

ben_l

Besides I really doubt that Coca-Cola want graduates to 'undertake research into its products'. If they don't already know everything they should about their products, I'm frankly concerned.

Reply 89

ChemistBoy

16

ben_l

Because I would like to think that some places and things remain free from mass-market corporate influence/branding, and Oxford University and postgraduate academia come under that category.

Sorry to burst your bubble but both are infected. Oxford even have their own merchandise such as a small plastic telescope that is part of the science series that rather depressingly encourages you to 'explore the wonders of astrology'.

Oh dear.

Reply 90

hobnob

14

Isn't corporate sponsorship completely normal in the sciences, irrespective of universitites? :confused:

There's a reason why they tend to be so much better funded than arts and humanities, after all...

Reply 91

crafty bison

14

I don't see how it can possibly be a problem that the Coca-Cola Company are going to give someone £6,500 to study a Geography-based MSc?

Reply 92

Eubacterium

13

ben_l

Because I would like to think that some places and things remain free from mass-market corporate influence/branding, and Oxford University and postgraduate academia come under that category.

Never heard of Oxford University Press? (Or Cambridge University Press for that matter?) Commercialism is the driving force of a lot of science projects, for eg there’s only funding provided for research into an antibiotic if there’s a market for it, not out of the goodness of people’s hearts. Not to mention universities sell coke on campus anyway, so students are hardly free of coca colo’s “influence/branding” at uni, or that of any other company.

ben_l

Besides I really doubt that Coca-Cola want graduates to 'undertake research into its products'. If they don't already know everything they should about their products, I'm frankly concerned.

Ever tried Dasani? Companies constantly do research into new and present products.

Reply 93

ChemistBoy

16

hobnob

Isn't corporate sponsorship completely normal in the sciences, irrespective of universitites? :confused:

There's a reason why they tend to be so much better funded than arts and humanities, after all...

Well the real reason is that the government spends more money on funding scientific research as well as the fact that they tend to attract more private funding (although some social scientists manage to do quite well). That's said, it's partly horses for courses, the equipment I used in my lab during my PhD probably cost close to £750,000. Science is more expensive to do generally.

Reply 94

crafty bison

14

Out of interest, those who have already heard from Oxford, how did they contact you? The postal service is pretty erratic at college so I'm hoping by email?

Reply 95

ben_l

Eubacterium

Never heard of Oxford University Press? (Or Cambridge University Press for that matter?) Commercialism is the driving force of a lot of science projects, for eg there’s only funding provided for research into an antibiotic if there’s a market for it, not out of the goodness of people’s hearts. Not to mention universities sell coke on campus anyway, so students are hardly free of coca colo’s “influence/branding” at uni, or that of any other company.

Pragmatically of course you are correct, I just find it distasteful.

Ever tried Dasani? Companies constantly do research into new and present products.

No I have not but I am reliably informed that it is water

Reply 96

ben_l

I would perhaps take a little issue with the idea that funding is only provided for antibiotics if they are profitable. For pharmaceutical companies this may well be true and we could not reasonably expect otherwise. However government grants are awarded to potentially unprofitable research for, I imagine, exactly the reason that we do not wish the research that is done to be just the research that is profitable.