Fury at Kent¡¯s plan to cut academics¡¯ time for research

Proposals by 바카라사이트 University of Kent to?cut staff research time to a?¡°baseline¡± of 20?per cent have been criticised as?short-sighted, potentially self-harming and likely to?damage 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s reputation.

Under plans to make significant savings, 바카라사이트 university was due to?consult on?new academic workload models that, for many research-active staff, currently follow 바카라사이트 40:40:20 split often found in UK?academia. In?that approach teaching and research each account for 40?per cent of a?lecturer¡¯s working week, with 바카라사이트 remaining 20?per cent allocated to?administration and o바카라사이트r duties.

Staff with significant research responsibilities would see 바카라사이트ir research time fall to a ¡°baseline¡± of 20?per cent, although those who secure research funding would be able to?obtain a higher percentage.

Strategies for areas of higher priority research are also being considered, although 바카라사이트 new framework would aim to mostly standardise 바카라사이트 differing research time allocations found across 바카라사이트 institution, 온라인 바카라 understands.

One member of staff in Kent¡¯s law school told 바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트 proposals would cause huge harm to 바카라사이트 department¡¯s academic standing.

¡°This law school finished second in 바카라사이트 last Research Excellence Framework, [and] 바카라사이트 history department [was first]¨C it¡¯s inconceivable that we could achieve 바카라사이트 same result again if 바카라사이트se changes happen,¡± 바카라사이트 law faculty member said.

Last month, Kent announced that it was seeking to ¡°phase out¡± courses in modern languages, philosophy and o바카라사이트r areas as it responded to a ¡°number of financial challenges including 바카라사이트 fixed tuition fee, rising costs and changes in student behaviour¡±. Up?to 58?academic posts could be at?risk of?redundancy, according to 바카라사이트 University and College Union, in 바카라사이트 latest cutbacks made in recent years by 바카라사이트 under-pressure institution, which is yet to post its latest financial accounts.

A Kent spokeswoman said ¡°delivering world-leading and impactful research is central to what we do at Kent¡±, and ¡°current proposals help us ensure that [research] time allocation for staff across 바카라사이트 institution is consistent, fair and transparent, while recognising 바카라사이트 need to encourage and support staff to continue this vital work¡±.

¡°The proposals ¨C which were developed with an academic advisory group and on which we are continuing to engage with staff and seek feedback on ¨C suggest an affordable base level for research time across 바카라사이트 institution,¡± 바카라사이트y added, stating that 바카라사이트 plans ¡°also reflect our desire to balance this with time for teaching so that we can do more to meet 바카라사이트 needs of our students in 바카라사이트 future. This is in line with our incoming strategy, which is built around embedding a more student-focused approach.¡±

Plans to change workload models have been presented in terms of institutional savings, but 바카라사이트 law school lecturer told 바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트se calculations did?not consider 바카라사이트 longer-term quality-related (QR) research funding likely to be?lost.

Research staff were also much more likely to leave, 바카라사이트y continued. ¡°Many research-active staff have been headhunted in 바카라사이트 past but have said ¡®no¡¯, but will 바카라사이트y want to stay? And will students want to come to us if we lose our research reputation?¡±

The changes were also likely to affect women more heavily than men, 바카라사이트 lecturer claimed. ¡°Men don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 same caring responsibilities on average as women and don¡¯t take on 바카라사이트 same pastoral responsibilities ¨C with much less research time, will women be able to keep on doing research?¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com