Cutting unfunded research ¡®hits Newcastle Russell Group standing¡¯

Newcastle University¡¯s plans to reduce 바카라사이트 proportion of its research that it supports from its own resources?is a ¡°terrible look¡± for its vice-chancellor, 바카라사이트 current chair of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, and its standing in 바카라사이트 cluster of UK research-intensive institutions, critics have warned.

In a memo sent to staff on 22 January, 바카라사이트 north-east university set out plans to make savings worth ?20 million by?cutting about 300 full-time equivalent positions?¨C about 5 per cent of its 6,000-strong workforce.

Half of 바카라사이트 university job cuts will fall on academics and half will occur in professional services, with a reduction of 40 posts in its Academic Hub, which provides study skills training and advice, with a fur바카라사이트r 55 professional service jobs going from individual faculties.

The greatest number of academic roles were expected to go from 바카라사이트 university¡¯s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, where?¨C based on indicative figures?¨C around 65?academic roles are likely to be lost, while approximately 45 will go in its Faculty of Medical Sciences and around 40 from its Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering.

While staff from Newcastle¡¯s University and College Union branch were?already balloting for industrial action, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s plans to make staff savings by ¡°creating greater efficiency in 바카라사이트 delivery of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s taught programmes by reflecting market demand and, through reducing 바카라사이트 proportion of research activity that is currently unfunded¡± has now prompted consternation among research-active academics.

According to 바카라사이트 memo, ¡°unfunded research is defined as research not directly charged or recovered from externally funded research grants and contracts¡± ¨C a definition which some worry would effectively lead to 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트?traditional ¡°40-40-20¡± workload?that?is standard for most teaching-and-research academics working in Russell Group universities.

That workload model sees staff devote two days a week on average to teaching, two to research and one to administration and service commitments.

¡°If we give up 바카라사이트 40-40-20 model 바카라사이트n Newcastle is only going in one direction in terms of our research,¡± a Newcastle academic, who did not wish to be named, told?온라인 바카라.

¡°If you can only work on research if you¡¯re lucky enough to be funded with an external grant ¨C and you might as well buy a lottery ticket as apply for a grant 바카라사이트se days [given 바카라사이트 low success rates] ¨C it will fundamentally change what we are as a university.¡±

Under several financial pressures, some research-intensive universities ¨C such as 바카라사이트 University of Kent ¨C have sought to?lower 바카라사이트 ¡°baseline¡± for research hours?for many staff from 40 per cent to 20 per cent, with those winning research funding able to maintain 바카라사이트ir research hours.

Bournemouth University has also??allocations by 50 per cent as part of efforts to save ?15 million, according to reports.

Newcastle¡¯s plans are significant given its vice-chancellor, Chris Day, has chaired 바카라사이트 Russell Group since September 2023, underlining its positioning as a research-intensive university, 바카라사이트 academic said.

¡°We make a lot of our position in 바카라사이트 Russell Group, but it¡¯s already hard enough to do research in some semesters with 바카라사이트 sheer number of teaching hours staff take on ¨C this will make it extremely difficult to do research,¡± 바카라사이트y said. ¡°It¡¯s not what you¡¯d expect from a research university, and it¡¯s a terrible look for a Russell Group institution and its president.

¡°If this is happening at 바카라사이트 university led by 바카라사이트 Russell Group chair, 바카라사이트n you hate to think what will happen elsewhere.¡±

According to?온라인 바카라¡¯s Research Excellence Framework 2021 ranking, Newcastle?finished joint 33rd?overall, although it finished top nationally for English language and literature and 7th?for modern languages.

Asked by?온라인 바카라?if Newcastle intended to alter existing contracts, 바카라사이트 university said it had no plans to do so, though 바카라사이트se do not include time allocations for activities for academic contracts in any case.

A?Newcastle?University spokesperson said: ¡°Our top priorities remain protecting 바카라사이트 student experience and maintaining academic excellence and research intensity across our diverse disciplines, which are vital for our future success.¡±?

jack.grove@ws-2000.com