ROSS Guest ("Reform academe to attract talent", HES, October 7) is concerned with where academics of the future are to come from, yet he is dismissive of the value of integrating research and teaching at the undergraduate level. Curiously, he suggests that allowing mid-career industrialists to enter academe and not requiring a PhD is the answer, ignoring the loosening of academic standards this implies. He questions the relevance of the interrelationship of research and teaching at the undergraduate level, discounting the wealth of untapped potential within the student population.
Judging by their strategic plans, most Australian universities value, and are trying to strengthen, relationships between research and teaching. If this relationship is looked at from the researcher's perspective, then at first glance it is, admittedly, hard to see its relevance to undergraduates. But, from the student's perspective, learning how to systematically investigate, make critical judgments, differentiate well-founded evidence, work in teams and develop skills of critical inquiry are precisely the things graduates are likely to be called on to do.An evaluation carried out at the University of Boulder, Colorado, found that research experiences fostered the greatest intellectual, personal and professional gains in undergraduates. The US has been fortunate that 20 or more years ago the National Science Foundation recognised the importance of undergraduate research; a sentiment echoed within several US research foundations, many of which provide significant funding to support it.
Research Councils UK also has been concerned about where the future generation of scientists are coming from. The British government's research-informed teaching initiative led to significant developments in many institutions including greater involvement of students in research within the curriculum.
If research training starts only at the graduate level, how is Australia to compete in research on a global stage? We need a debate on these issues in the light of international developments and we need to explore new ideas that value the contribution of the next generation of undergraduates to the nation's research efforts.
Angela Brew
Macquarie University, NSW
