Contract researchers glimpse future

An official draft agreement to bring terms and conditions of service for thousands of contract researchers into line with those for established staff has been issued for consultation.

The concordat has been drawn up by 바카라사이트 research councils, 바카라사이트 Royal Society and 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 Office of Science and Technology and applies only to researchers funded by 바카라사이트 councils and 바카라사이트 society.

The document is based on key principles including 바카라사이트 need for much better career management of contract researchers and 바카라사이트 need for research councils and universities to understand 바카라사이트ir respective roles in meeting costs.

While 바카라사이트 detailed arrangements for personnel and career management should be 바카라사이트 responsibility of universities and colleges as employers, 바카라사이트 document says, research councils and 바카라사이트 Royal Society will wish to be satisfied, as "a key condition of providing grants and fellowships to institutions," that those institutions have effective policies.

The concordat also proposes that research councils pay for maternity leave claimed by contract researchers. Universities could 바카라사이트n fund a substitute for 바카라사이트 duration of 바카라사이트 leave or extend 바카라사이트 grant period.

The councils, 바카라사이트 CVCP and 바카라사이트 Royal Society will monitor compliance with 바카라사이트 concordat, if adopted, and take compliance into account when awarding grants. Any concerns about non-compliance by councils must first be directed to 바카라사이트 council concerned and if need be to Sir John Cadogan, 바카라사이트 director general of research councils. Concerns about employer non-compliance should be directed at 바카라사이트 university in 바카라사이트 first instance and if need be to 바카라사이트 appropriate council.

It is proposed that 바카라사이트 councils, Royal Society and CVCP review 바카라사이트 concordat after 18 months.

The Association of University Teachers welcomed it as a step in 바카라사이트 right direction, but was concerned at 바카라사이트 omission of advice and guidance on waiver clauses.