So sad to see half of PhD students are thinking of giving up. We've been neglected by this anti-education govt. Didn't get JobKeeper. Lost casual work outside uni. Lost casual academic work because of funding crisis. So much hard work, so undervalued. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/10/almost-half-of-australian-phd-students-considering-disengaging-from-studies-due-to-pandemic

I am lucky in so many ways. My husband has kept his job. I lost some casual work, but not all of it. I was in last few months of PhD - writing can be done from home but many students have had to stop doing their research as it couldn't be done from home or in iso from others.

We absolutely hear the wider community narrative that the pursuit of knowledge through research degrees is a waste of time, a waste of government resources, doesn't prepare people for 'real jobs', no academic jobs, entire concept of 'expertise' has been degraded by culture wars.

Yet, we keep chipping away, making huge sacrifices to do something we aspire to and to contribute to wider society and economy. The yard stick to be awarded a PhD is that you have contributed something new to society's knowledge base. How is that pursuit not worthy, not valued?

The government is happy to reap the rewards from research degree work - we are the engine house, the pipe line that keeps academia afloat. But at same time, they bend over backwards to make the process as hard as it possibly can. Through the pandemic, it has been harder than ever

To all the research students out there, I stand with you. Know you are valued, you are an asset to society and you are going to go on to do great things - despite this incompetent government. If you have to step back, think of it as a pause. You will get the project done. End