Leading article: Research pays

Aberdeen University is certainly striking out on its own.

Aberdeen University is certainly striking out on its own. First it showed other universities the way to raise money American-style from alumni and major donors - and has built up an endowment of £100m as a result. Now it has launched a splashy advertising campaign to find 50 new PhD students. These researchers will be given an enticing £15,000 a year, a substantial outlay for the university. Aberdeen is not doing this to be nice to postgraduates. Like all universities it needs to improve its game and fight off the English institutions that are forever trying to poach its academic stars. Let's hope it succeeds.