PhD researchers 'forced to use crisis loans' after university fails to pay them
The missing stipend payment has come as a shock to Heriot-Watt PhD researchers
PhD students at a Scottish university claim they have been forced to take out hardship loans after their pay was missed.
A group of researchers from Heriot-Watt university were not paid last week with the institution giving no reason for the significant oversight.
The issue is being “reviewed” a spokesman said, in order to ensure there was no repeat.
Students, however, claim they have had no explanation and feel sceptical that the problem will be fixed.
One PhD researcher, who asked not to be named, said he had been made aware of the issue by a university email.
He said: “There was no warning.
“At the start of last week, the communication from the university was very much as though nobody knew what was going on, and very customer service-style rhetoric.
“They said they were going to look in to it, which was very confusing because it’s an internal issue - they have paid us or they haven’t.
“So there was a lot of frustration about that.”
A spokesman for Heriot-Watt said the university is in contact with a group of postgraduate students affected and is “very sorry for the delay in the payment of these stipends, and the anxiety and uncertainty this has caused”.
PhDs are generally funded externally and the company paying for the research of this particular student was clear that Heriot Watt had been paid the money by them.
The student added: “So it is really weird that this money is not available because it is not the university’s money and all other staff seem to have been paid.
“They said the money will come to us next week but I have little faith in them now - it’s been more than a week.”
The student claimed there have been repeated issues with underpayment or late payment of stipends.
Payments were underpaid or late in March this year also.
“Everyone was up in arms anyway because various people haven’t been paid or have been paid late,” he added.
Last month Heriot-Watt staff walked out on a two-day strike centred on job losses at the university's Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies and Scholar programme.
Students have asked for financial help to pay rent and mortgages and have called on the university to agree to pay any fines accrued as the result of missed bills.
Another researcher referred to the payment issues as “monthly jump scares”, saying the constant problems created unacceptable financial uncertainty.
“Our finance team is expediting outstanding payments,” the Heriot-Watt spokesman added.
“Support and advice have also been offered to those experiencing financial hardship as a result of the delay.
“We are reviewing the circumstances that led to this situation so that we can strengthen our processes and ensure it does not happen again.”
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