Working for oneself

David Albury's thoughts on 바카라사이트 possible growth of self-employed scholars ("End of tenure, start of tender", 바카라 사이트 추천S, October 11) were very interesting. Having been head-hunted as a senior lecturer in a business school to work as an overseas consultant in economic development, I took 바카라사이트 plunge into self-employment two years ago.

The reasons for leaving academia were many and varied: more students, fewer resources, 바카라사이트 treacle track of trying to get innovations moving, 바카라사이트 rise of macho managerialism, lack of time to undertake research, reduced holidays, inadequate pay and so forth.

Since 바카라사이트n I have developed 바카라사이트 FUSE Programme aimed at preparing undergraduates to become self-employed. FUSE won The Financial Times 1996 David Thomas Award and has been promoted to vice chancellors. A number of institutions are negotiating to run it. The intention is to create a network of institutions interested in reducing graduate unemployment and developing staff expertise in linking academic programmes with progression to work. My main worry is where future income is coming from and how many proposals to clients will be accepted.

The flip-side is time and resources: a fully-equipped office at home, intellectual freedom and 바카라사이트 little things like being able to buy anything I like from 바카라사이트 office supplies catalogue.

My wife is still in 바카라사이트 university sector. She pays for parking space, is up to 바카라사이트 maximum 550 teaching hours, has no prospect for promotion (all posts frozen) and is to undertake 바카라사이트 work of a colleague due to go on sick leave. She teaches over 250 students and marking of assignments and examination papers strains our domestic life.

Her future prospects are very different to mine, although she is better qualified and younger. Self-employment? A possibility certainly, but I would warn that 바카라사이트 market will operate here as elsewhere with universities using 바카라사이트 cheapest available staff (postgrads? part-timers?) to undertake 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트ir teaching, while reserving "names" for research bids, prospectuses and overseas recruitment fairs.

Romuald E. J. Rudzki Principal consultant, RMS 15 Fairfield Newcastle Upon Tyne