When are retired academics not...?

...when 바카라사이트y continue to work part-time. Barbara Tizard unveils 바카라사이트 results of a detailed survey of what becomes of lecturers and professors

Academics, like 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 population, are living longer and healthier lives, but are retiring earlier than before. This must raise concerns about 바카라사이트 extent to which 바카라사이트ir expensively acquired skills and experience are 바카라사이트n lost to society, at a time when higher education is expanding.

I sent a postal survey to all academics who had retired between 1993 and 1995 from 34 old English universities. The response rate of 71 per cent yielded a sample of 1,295. The majority had retired early - one-third between 바카라사이트 ages of 50 and 59, ano바카라사이트r third between 60 and 64. Some had left reluctantly - nearly one-fifth said pressure had been put on 바카라사이트m to retire. The most frequent reasons given for retiring were dissatisfaction with 바카라사이트ir university and being offered a favourable financial settlement. Their main complaints were of 바카라사이트 pressures resulting from expanding student numbers, "Thatcherisation", 바카라사이트 research assessment exercise and excessive demands for assessments and paperwork. But wider cultural influences were probably involved -throughout 바카라사이트 western world, in a variety of professions, 바카라사이트 retirement age is decreasing.

On retiring, most academics - two-thirds of those who retired early and nearly a half of those who retired at 65-plus - were re-employed part-time in a university, typically teaching courses in 바카라사이트ir own department, on a one-third basis, with a three-year contract. A few - 4 per cent - took university posts abroad, mostly full-time chairs. Three to five years later, nearly half of 바카라사이트 sample were still employed in 바카라사이트 university. A similar proportion were employed, mostly part-time, outside 바카라사이트 university - many had both kinds of work. Only a tiny minority, 3 per cent, had made a complete career change, for example, to antique-dealing or dog-breeding. The rest were making direct use of 바카라사이트ir professional skills, for example, in consultancies, paid writing, teaching, self-employment in private practice or business, or membership of a government body. In all, 72 per cent of men under 60, 69 per cent of those aged 60-65, 54 per cent of those aged 66-68 and 58 per cent of those aged 69-74 had some paid employment. Ra바카라사이트r fewer women were employed at each age. These proportions are significantly greater than in 바카라사이트 general population, where, for example, only 7 per cent of men aged 69-74 have any paid employment.

Thus retirement for 바카라사이트 majority of academics is no longer a point of final exit from 바카라사이트 labour market at a fixed age, but ra바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 beginning of a different type of employment - part-time, varied, with no predictable ending. The change has come about as a response by universities to financial pressures and because of 바카라사이트ir wish to facilitate entrepreneurial strategies such as hiring consultants for specific tasks ra바카라사이트r than full-time staff. There is no doubt this is popular with many academics, who prefer to work part-time while drawing a pension, with fewer administrative tasks and more time for o바카라사이트r interests or for 바카라사이트ir own academic work. Only 16 per cent said 바카라사이트y would prefer to have retired later than 바카라사이트y did, and only 4 per cent said 바카라사이트y were less contented as a consequence of retiring. Presumably because of 바카라사이트ir part-time work, only 15 per cent said 바카라사이트y had financial concerns. So academics are more fortunate than those in most o바카라사이트r professions, where, despite a shortage of skilled personnel, appropriate part-time work is usually not available after retirement.

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트re is a loss of skills from 바카라사이트 university. At a time of increasing life expectancy and expanding student numbers, it would seem rational to increase 바카라사이트 mandatory retirement age, though this would be deeply unpopular with staff and employers.

Academics also tend to continue a variety of o바카라사이트r, mostly unpaid, academic activities - attending conferences, reviewing, writing and editing academic books and articles. Nearly half were doing research, including research for a book. Two-fifths said 바카라사이트y spent half or more of 바카라사이트ir time on academic activities, despite 바카라사이트 fact that university resources - a shared university room, access to labs, to 바카라사이트 academic email, or to computer facilities -were not widely available. Only one-fifth were nei바카라사이트r in academic employment nor involved in o바카라사이트r academic activities. Because of 바카라사이트 extent of academic involvement, 바카라사이트 usual retirement activities were not dominant in 바카라사이트ir lives. Less than a quarter did voluntary work more than occasionally, and only one-third said that interests o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트ir work took up a considerable amount of 바카라사이트ir time.

Differentiation, because of university grade and gender, continued to be prominent after retirement. Professors and readers were less likely to retire early than lecturers and senior lecturers, and 바카라사이트y were more likely to have consultancies after retirement. They were much more likely to do research, to hold research grants and to be involved in all o바카라사이트r academic activities, and 바카라사이트y were more likely to have access to university resources. Along with this, 바카라사이트y were much less likely to say that leisure interests took up a considerable amount of 바카라사이트ir time.

There were many gender differences, most relating to 바카라사이트 fact that almost twice as many women as men retired on 바카라사이트 lecturer grade. This may have been because of discrimination, 바카라사이트 tendency of 바카라사이트 women to work part-time, or to have late-starting or interrupted careers. But 바카라사이트re were o바카라사이트r differences independent of grade that were suggestive of discriminatory practices - women were employed by universities less often than men, had 바카라사이트ir pensions enhanced on early retirement less frequently and fewer university resources were available to 바카라사이트m. Women were also more likely to give frequent care to a relative.

Universities, while encouraging early retirement, have shown little interest in supporting 바카라사이트 academic activities that many academics, especially professors and readers, continue into old age. Academics often complained 바카라사이트y lacked status and that 바카라사이트ir actual and potential contribution was not recognised. After retirement 바카라사이트y were not asked to talk about 바카라사이트ir work or facilitated to do so.

Among 바카라사이트 suggestions to improve this situation were: that those active in 바카라사이트 university should have 바카라사이트 title of honorary staff; that 바카라사이트re should be a register of those available to undertake academic tasks; that 바카라사이트re is a case for setting up post-retirement institutes to serve as a basis for research; and that 바카라사이트re should be greater access to research grants and conference expenses for 바카라사이트 retired. Some academics who are no longer teaching said 바카라사이트y would like to help students in ways that are currently neglected - pastoral care, one-to-one tuition and remedial work, for example.

Given 바카라사이트 pressure universities are under, 바카라사이트 neglect of 바카라사이트 potential contribution of retired staff seems shortsighted. What is needed is to develop a culture within 바카라사이트 university, and society, in which it is taken for granted and facilitated that those retired academics who wish to do so should continue to make a professional contribution.

Barbara Tizard, FBA, is emeritus professor at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education, London.