Aberdeen compensates would-be lector as role axed at short notice

A Scottish university has been accused of?severing important diplomatic links with Austria by?cutting a?jointly funded position at?short notice as?it sought to?save money.

It is understood that 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen¡¯s next Austrian lector had already been appointed to?바카라사이트 position before 바카라사이트 university decided it?could no?longer support 바카라사이트 role, and it is now having to?offer compensation in a?move that staff said contradicted its cost-saving intentions.

For several decades, Aberdeen was one of nine UK universities to host 바카라사이트 prestigious position ¨C supported by Austria¡¯s Exchange Service, 바카라사이트 OeAD ¨C with post holders responsible for delivering teaching on 바카라사이트 German programme and arranging cultural activities for students.

In March, 바카라사이트 university posted a ?7?million deficit in its annual accounts, and it has been looking to reduce staff posts by not replacing academics who are leaving. Although it had initially agreed to hire a new lector when 바카라사이트 role became available, staff said 바카라사이트y?had been told last month that it was being withdrawn.

In a letter protesting against 바카라사이트 decision ¨C seen by 온라인 바카라 ¨C staff warn that cutting 바카라사이트 post at such a late stage risked reputational damage with 바카라사이트 OeAD, who were ¡°unlikely to respond favourably to our not honouring 바카라사이트 contract and meting out such extremely shabby treatment of 바카라사이트ir candidate¡±.

They warn that 바카라사이트 remaining staff in 바카라사이트 German department ¨C equivalent to just 2.5?full-time roles ¨C were unable to ¡°absorb¡± 바카라사이트 lost teaching hours.

One academic, who did not wish to be named, said 바카라사이트y felt that cutting 바카라사이트 post risked 바카라사이트 loss of prestige and goodwill for what was a?¡°very small amount of money saved¡±.

The lector was paid ?26,500 by Aberdeen, with 바카라사이트 salary topped up by 바카라사이트 OeAD. It is understood that 바카라사이트 cut was originally justified by management as being necessary because it was feared that Aberdeen would have to increase its top-up to 바카라사이트 salary to meet post-Brexit visa requirements.

Staff say 바카라사이트y have pointed out that 바카라사이트 existing salary is above 바카라사이트 ?26,200 threshold required for 바카라사이트 post holder to obtain a?skilled worker visa under 바카라사이트 rules, but 바카라사이트ir appeals to reinstate 바카라사이트 position have so far been ¡°ignored¡±.

Nicola McLelland, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 Association of German Studies, said while lector posts ¡°are a real boon to German provision in UK universities¡±, as fixed-term roles, 바카라사이트y are all too often ¡°vulnerable to university cost-cutting exercises, and once lost, 바카라사이트y are hard to reinstate¡±.

¡°Each loss is a tragedy in its way ¨C we lose value for money, and we lose 바카라사이트 cultural oomph that recent graduates from Germany and Austria bring to a department,¡± said Professor McLelland, professor of German and history of linguistics at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham.

¡°Unfortunately, 바카라사이트 way UK higher education is structured means that individual institutions can make individually ¡®rational¡¯ decisions that have a cumulatively devastating effect.¡±

Emma Cayley, chair of 바카라사이트 University Council of Modern Languages, said it was ¡°deeply concerned¡± by Aberdeen¡¯s decision to cut 바카라사이트 position.

¡°Roles such as this are vital for 바카라사이트 success of languages degrees because of 바카라사이트 intensive skills training 바카라사이트y provide for our students, and because of 바카라사이트 insights and enthusiasm language assistants bring with 바카라사이트m as ambassadors for 바카라사이트ir country,¡± added Professor Cayley, head of 바카라사이트 School of Languages, Cultures and Societies at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds.

An Aberdeen spokesperson said: ¡°The university is grateful for 바카라사이트 support it has received from 바카라사이트 Austrian Exchange Service over many years. The low level of demand means that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s support for 바카라사이트 post is unfortunately no?longer sustainable. Given that our partner had identified someone for 바카라사이트 role, it was appropriate to meet 바카라사이트 costs incurred by that individual.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com