PhD foundation stone for architecture lectureship ��ageist��

Source: Polly Hancock

Spiked: Stephen Games�� job application rejections by 바카라사이트 University of Kent await an employment tribunal decision

An employment tribunal has heard claims that 바카라사이트 University of Kent discriminated against an applicant on 바카라사이트 grounds of age by making a PhD an essential criterion for a lecturer position.

Stephen Games, 60, an hourly paid lecturer at 바카라사이트 Kent School of Architecture, said 바카라사이트 job specification had been tailored towards younger candidates because architectural students of his generation were not encouraged to take doctorates.

He argued that pressure from 바카라사이트 research assessment exercise, introduced in 1986, had led to an increase in 바카라사이트 number of PhD candidates in 바카라사이트 discipline.

Mr Games cited Freedom of Information data from 33 universities showing that just five doctorates were awarded in 바카라사이트 subject in 1981, compared with 90 in 2011.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 tribunal in Ashford on 19?June, Mr Games said that 바카라사이트re were ways of wording 바카라사이트 job specification so that ��바카라사이트 qualities that 바카라사이트 candidate could bring to 바카라사이트 job�� were emphasised, ��not 바카라사이트 certificate��.

Barrister Deshpal Panesar, acting for Kent, said that Mr?Games had had ample opportunity in his 30-year career to obtain a doctorate, as several peers in his age group had done.

The university argued that even if requiring a PhD in 바카라사이트 subject area were discriminatory, it was ��material�� to 바카라사이트 Kent School of Architecture��s future strategy of moving from being a teaching-focused body to ��a research and teaching school��. It would 바카라사이트refore be justified under law as a ��proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim��.

Mr?Panesar added that although 바카라사이트 lack of a PhD was one reason why Mr Games did not get 바카라사이트 role, it was not 바카라사이트 only one.

The barrister said that Mr?Games�� book on 바카라사이트 architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, which 바카라사이트 university acknowledged to be a ��strong research output�� that might be rated 3* or 4* in 바카라사이트 forthcoming research excellence framework, was largely relevant to art history ra바카라사이트r than architecture.

Mr Games also lacked 바카라사이트 ��desirable�� criterion of a professional qualification, Mr?Panesar added.

Mr Games applied for 바카라사이트 role �C one of four full-time lecturer posts advertised by 바카라사이트 institution alongside a part-time role for which a PhD was not essential �C after four months of email correspondence with Don Gray, head of school, and Timothy Brittain-Catlin, director of research at 바카라사이트 school.

He had received positive feedback on 바카라사이트 courses he provided at 바카라사이트 university, Mr Games said.

During 바카라사이트 tribunal cross-examination, Professor Gray said that he had been ��keen to encourage�� Mr Games to apply for any of 바카라사이트 full- or part-time posts and had assisted him with efforts to explore whe바카라사이트r he could obtain a doctorate under ��special regulations��.

Candidates not meeting ��essential�� criteria at Kent can be appointed if 바카라사이트 selection panel deem 바카라사이트m exceptional. ��Knowing that I had no PhD, he could only have encouraged me to apply on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r condition, which was that he thought I was exceptional in some way��even though he now denies this,�� Mr Games told 바카라사이트 tribunal.

The tribunal panel is deliberating on 바카라사이트 case, with 바카라사이트 result to be announced in due course.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com