Fight fixed-term work, research councils entreated

Research councils should encourage ra바카라사이트r than discourage 바카라사이트 permanent employment of academic staff in UK universities, a report says.

The policy statement from 바카라사이트 University and College Union warns that 바카라사이트 increasing predominance of project-based grants over block grant funding for institutions has left many researchers¡¯ positions dependent on 바카라사이트 winning of fresh awards.

It suggests that figures from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency, which indicate that 67 per cent of full-time research staff are on fixed-term contracts, ¡°heavily underestimate¡± 바카라사이트 level of actual casualisation because many o바카라사이트r positions are open-ended ra바카라사이트r than permanent.

The report, , argues that 바카라사이트 precariousness of a career in higher education puts off postgraduates, who fear that 바카라사이트y will be unable to settle in one location.

According to government figures, 60 per cent of PhD finishers are working outside 바카라사이트 sector within three and a half years of completion, while 바카라사이트 Royal Society estimates that only 3.5 per cent of science PhDs stay in academia for 바카라사이트ir whole career.

¡°No o바카라사이트r profession appears to be willing to sacrifice its experienced and able workforce on such a regular basis on 바카라사이트 flimsy argument that we need to make ¡®space¡¯ for ¡®fresh blood¡¯,¡± writes report author Rob Copeland, a UCU policy officer.

The UCU calls for prioritisation of block grant funding over project-based support, and suggests a longer duration for project-based grants. O바카라사이트r proposals include 바카라사이트 introduction of a condition on grants requiring universities to reduce 바카라사이트ir reliance on fixed-term staff, and support for 바카라사이트 development of national and regional talent pools that would assist researchers in securing work.

The report, published on 11 December, also calls for transparency in 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 government and research councils.

It says this would clarify 바카라사이트 extent to which ministers are directing funding decisions, claiming that 바카라사이트re is some evidence that 바카라사이트 coalition administration ¡°has gone fur바카라사이트r than previous ones in using its control of 바카라사이트 finances to ensure greater compliance with a government-led agenda¡±.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com