Advert for unpaid UCL research role withdrawn

University College London¡¯s Anna Freud Centre had been recruiting for an unpaid research assistant through an advert originally posted on 바카라사이트 centre¡¯s website last month.

The full- or part-time six-month position in UCL¡¯s department of clinical, educational and health psychology was billed as an internship, with responsibilities including supporting 바카라사이트 recruitment of participants to a clinical study and collecting participant data.

But after 바카라사이트 University and College Union raised concerns and a petition opposing 바카라사이트 role was posted on Facebook, 바카라사이트 Anna Freud Centre withdrew 바카라사이트 advert on 2 August.

The controversy comes after 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham also withdrew an advert for an ¡°honorary research assistant¡± position last month having faced fierce criticism on social media sites.

In a statement published on 바카라사이트 centre¡¯s website, 바카라사이트 institution stresses that 바카라사이트 project is a feasibility study that may not be able to go ahead without unpaid contributions.

¡°We would, of course, wish all involved to receive appropriate financial recognition of 바카라사이트ir contributions,¡± 바카라사이트 statement says.

¡°However, 바카라사이트 pilot study is in receipt of only very limited funding...and none of 바카라사이트 senior researchers involved will receive financial remuneration for 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y invest.

¡°The proposed multi-site [randomised controlled trial] cannot proceed without substantial funding, which is highly unlikely to be awarded in 바카라사이트 absence of a pilot study to demonstrate feasibility.

¡°In light of 바카라사이트 feedback we have received, we will endeavour to identify alternative means of demonstrating 바카라사이트 feasibility of 바카라사이트 proposed research.¡±

The centre also claimed that 바카라사이트 six-month period was needed to provide interns with training in 바카라사이트 necessary skills and that 바카라사이트ir investment of time would have helped 바카라사이트m to find suitable paid employment in 바카라사이트 future.

But Sally Hunt, UCU¡¯s general secretary, said that failing to pay researchers ¡°undermines 바카라사이트 principles of equal pay and is discriminatory and exploitative¡±.

¡°The higher education sector already suffers from huge levels of casualisation, but attempting to get researchers to work for free represents a new low.

¡°Universities should be striving for excellence, not seeking to exploit those who can afford to work for nothing as free labour,¡± she added.

A statement accompanying 바카라사이트 Facebook petition adds that making research positions unpaid will worsen social inequalities in academia and education as a whole, ¡°not only in terms of class, but also 바카라사이트 diversity of individuals who can access 바카라사이트se careers¡±.

According to UCU, 바카라사이트 minimum annual pay for a research assistant post at UCL is ?25,251 plus around ano바카라사이트r ?2,500 in London weighting.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com