[July 22, 1922 



NA TURE 



The Development of Research in Universities. 1 



By Principal Irvine, F.R.S., Vice-ChancelJor of the University of St. Andrews. 



"C" OR some years it was my privilege to direct the work 

 -*■ of a research laboratory where young graduates 

 were trained in research methods and, after a period 

 of collaboration, enabled to strike out independent 

 lines of inquiry for themselves. This endeavour 

 to make research work an organised part of the 

 university's activities was successful, and it occurs 

 to me that the experience thus gained in miniature 

 may be" of service in discussing the larger problems 

 associated with the development of research in all 

 subjects, in all universities. 



It is not necessary to defend here the idea that 

 research is a vital necessity. My plea is that, although 

 much has been done, our research efficiency as a 

 nation can be vastly improved and the full advantage 

 reaped from present expenditure by changes which 

 in themselves would not be expensive. The func- 

 tions of a university are threefold : to satisfy the 

 intellectual needs of the people, to lead the communi- 

 ties we serve, and to add to the store of human 

 knowledge. Yet it must be emphasised that every 

 advance made by investigation is something more 

 than a mere addition to knowledge ; it means also 

 that some one has gained a rich experience. It is 

 not so much the prize as the discipline of training and 

 the joy of supreme effort which makes any contest 

 worth while, and this applies equally in the' world of 

 intellect as in the realm of sport. The universities 

 should not leave original research to the solitary 

 worker, to the unaided enthusiast, but must place 

 facilities for research in the way of every one naturally 

 equipped with the spirit of inquiry. 



These ideas are widely spread and are all but 

 universally accepted. The movement in favour of 

 the research development in the universities has 

 suddenly taken shape after many years spent in 

 educating public opinion. Glance for a moment at 

 the phases through which it came into being. In 

 doing so I confine myself meanwhile to research in 

 experimental science, where development has been 

 most rapid and is most easily traced. 



I commence with the institution of the 1851 

 Exhibition Research Scholarships, a wise step which 

 placed at the disposal of a few selected graduates 

 the means necessary- for extending formal study by 

 research work. 



On this was modelled some nineteen years ago the 

 research scheme of the Carnegie Trust which has 

 done so much to improve the efficiency of the Scottish 

 universities. Whatever views may be held regarding 

 the payment of university fees b\- the Carnegie 

 Trust there can be only one opinion as to the wisdom 

 and success of this feature of their activities. Notice 

 the points of distinction between the Carnegie Trust 

 Scheme and that of the 1851 Exhibition Commis- 

 sioners. The latter is confined to scientific subjects 

 alone, and, until recently, scholarship awards were 

 made on one uniform standard. On the other hand, 

 the Carnegie Trust also opens the door to literature, 

 language, history, and economics. The award begins 

 with a scholarship, and from this the best scholars are 

 promoted to fellowships and ultima! elv to research 

 assistantships, which include teaching duties. There 

 is thus a steady weeding-out process at work, and 

 only the best survive. 



1 From an address on " The Need for the Provision of Enlarged Oppor- 

 tunities for Advanced Study and Research in the British Universities," 

 delivered at the annual Conference of Universities of Great Britain and 

 Ireland, held in London on May 13. 



NO. 2751, VOL. I IO] 



There are, of course, other research organisations 

 • operating in the universities, but I may pass at one 

 step to the national scheme now administered by the 

 Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The 

 details of this scheme follow closely the fines adopted 

 by the Carnegie Trust for the universities of Scotland, 

 but differ in the exclusion of non-scientific subjects. 



I question very much il the full measure of 

 advantage afforded by these schemes could ever 

 have been attained if the universities had not taken 

 the common action of instituting the Ph.D. degree. 

 Now we are launched on this great new effort. 

 The word " research " is on every tongue. In many 

 subjects of study provision has been made for 

 financing the way to research, and the universities 

 have recognised the movement by the award of the 

 new doctorate. What obstacles and difficulties have 

 already been encountered and what have we still to 

 guard against ? These are among the questions 

 I try to answer from an experience admittedly 

 incomplete. Let us take the features common to all 

 universities, irrespective of size or location, and to all 

 subjects of study. The first urgent need I perceive 

 is that our research organisation must recognise 

 the claims of three distinct classes of original workers. 

 These are : First, the young graduate, attracted 

 sometimes by the genuine spirit of research, some- 

 times by less worthy motives, who in practically all 

 cases is immature and untrained. Then there is the 

 second class, represented by the university lecturer 

 who has passed the apprentice stage and couples 

 with teaching duties the continuation of his researches, 

 frequently through love of the work, sometimes 

 through recognition that worldly wisdom and the 

 hope of a chair make it advisable. In the third place, 

 we have the mature worker and thinker, represented 

 by the professor, the man whose experience is ripe 

 but whose time, already getting short, is fully 

 occupied with other things. 



Each class merges into and feeds the other, and all 

 three classes need help. Prudence points to using 

 the mature material to the best advantage, yet we 

 have never done so, and the research schemes of 

 to-day make the situation infinitely harder than 

 before. The bulk of support is now "afforded to the 

 graduate research worker. Scholarships are awarded 

 generously and widely. The conditions attached are 

 moderate and reasonable, and there is now a rush to 

 research. But the young worker has to be trained, 

 supervised, guided, inspired, and this help can come 

 only from the members of my two upper classes — the 

 lecturers and the professors. I wish specially to 

 emphasise this necessity, for I have seen too many 

 good research workers spoiled and discouraged 

 through lack of help, and too many moderate workers 

 developed into investigators of the first rank by 

 careful guidance. Such supervision and training 

 involve the complete absorption of the time and 

 energy of the mature investigator. There can be 

 no formal course of instruction, no common course 

 applicable to all pupils and all topics. Each indi- 

 vidual has to be studied. There must be the daily 

 consultations at the laboratory bench, in the library, 

 and round the study fire. 



The question of training and supervision must be 

 taken seriously : there is a great danger, particularly 

 in scientific subjects, that this has not been fully 

 appreciated. How great is the temptation in such 

 subjects to use the technical skill of the graduate 



