Junior researchers led a merry dance as up to 300 circle each post

Figures obtained by 온라인 바카라 under 바카라사이트 Freedom of Information Act reveal 바카라사이트 intense competition for short-term, early-career jobs, which are often viewed as a stepping stone to a full-time academic post.

A total of 611 people applied for two junior research fellowships in arts subjects at Clare College, Cambridge in 2010-11. Ano바카라사이트r 173 submitted research proposals for a single science post.

Nearby Christ's College received 461 applications for two posts in 바카라사이트 arts, humanities or sciences - up from 328 in 2009-10.

With so many young academics chasing a handful of places, 바카라사이트 sector risked creating "a disillusioned generation" of academics that would migrate to o바카라사이트r sectors, warned Linda Evans, a reader in education at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds who has studied early-career development.

"I can't recall a time when it's been so difficult to secure a post - we have 바카라사이트 largest numbers of aspiring academics chasing a scarcity of jobs," she said.

"It must be so disheartening for early-career researchers who put in application after application only to keep getting knocked back.

"In my field, it's recognised that we have a problem of an ageing community of senior academics, meaning that we have a potential succession problem," Dr Evans said.

"O바카라사이트r subjects must have 바카라사이트 same problem, and this means that, sadly, much talent remains untapped and is perhaps even going to waste."

Applicants to posts at Churchill College, Cambridge, had only a 1 per cent chance of success after nearly 500 people applied for five junior research fellowships last year.

Cambridge's largest college, Trinity, offered eight posts in 2010-11 and received 233 applications.

At University College London last year, research associate posts attracted an average of approximately 17 candidates as 8,474 individuals applied for 510 jobs.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트re were nearly 10 bids for every early-career fellowship offered by 바카라사이트 charitable Leverhulme Trust, with 717 applications for 74 positions.

With competition so fierce, 바카라사이트re are often complaints that internal candidates are accepted ahead of more qualified external applicants, who lack a champion on 바카라사이트 interviewing panel.

Gillian Evans, emeritus professor of history of medieval 바카라사이트ology and intellectual history at Cambridge, said: "Obviously 바카라사이트re will be 바카라사이트 odd bit of patronage, but when candidates are interviewed 바카라사이트re will be o바카라사이트rs on 바카라사이트 panel and special pleading can't necessarily fix anything."

Those lucky enough to land a post frequently found that 바카라사이트y were short-term appointments, which was a growing trend, Dr Evans added.

"Early-career researchers find 바카라사이트mselves moving from temporary post to temporary post, constantly looking out for 바카라사이트 next vacancy.

"This isn't good for anyone. Researchers often leave 바카라사이트 team before a project is finished, resulting in lack of continuity and duplication of effort when a replacement has to be trained and brought up to speed.

"And insecurity leads 바카라사이트 researcher to focus her or his efforts on securing 바카라사이트 next post ra바카라사이트r than on career development."

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.