Postgraduate

(Our grand round discussion continued.)

I went on, "Take research student as another example. Ten years ago, when I first joined the university, anyone could take a postgraduate student. As Virgil said: You think you are able, therefore you are able. Now, you must first have a doctoral degree, and then you need to co-supervise a student with another senior professor before you could do so on your own."

"I suppose it was meant for quality assurance ?" WY asked a question by her eyes.

"But it is equally well used by some senior academics to control the supply of PhD students - who are, in reality, important working hands." I explained, "A new junior academic staff would never have a PhD student if no full professor agrees to co-supervise with him."

"Oh, I see ..." for a moment, my friend seemed to think that her situation was not all that bad.