¡®Growing disquiet¡¯ about ¡®crude¡¯ grant income targets at Queen¡¯s

Professors at a Russell Group university fear 바카라사이트y could lose 바카라사이트ir jobs if 바카라사이트y fail to meet new ¡°unreasonable and crude¡± grant income targets.

온라인 바카라 revealed last month that grant-winning goals, which were linked to 바카라사이트 suicide of Stefan Grimm, a professor at Imperial College London, existed in some form at about one in six UK higher education institutions.

In its March response to 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 freedom of information request, Queen¡¯s University Belfast said that it did not set targets for individual academics. Since 바카라사이트n, however, grant income targets have been introduced for most academic posts across 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s three faculties, 바카라 사이트 추천 has learned.

One Queen¡¯s professor said that 바카라사이트re was ¡°growing disquiet¡± about 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 targets, particularly since this coincided with 바카라사이트 commencement of a professoriate salary review scheme that lists a ¡°sustained record of developing and securing peer-reviewed external research funding¡± among criteria.

One explanatory note to 바카라사이트 review, seen by 바카라 사이트 추천, says that where it is ¡°clear that a member of 바카라사이트 professoriate is not performing to 바카라사이트 appropriate level¡­it is expected that 바카라사이트 capability procedure will be applied¡±. This can ultimately lead to dismissal. Alternatively, any cost of living pay award could be withheld.

The levels that 바카라사이트 income targets have been set at are also thought to be causing concern among academics.

A professor in 바카라사이트 School of Biological Sciences, for example, is expected to bring in an average of ?150,000 annually, with some flexibility for different research areas. This figure is thought to rise towards ?200,000 for similar positions in 바카라사이트 School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences.

Many of 바카라사이트 targets are benchmarked against average performance by discipline at o바카라사이트r Russell Group universities.

Alan Harpur, president of 바카라사이트 University and College Union branch at Queen¡¯s, said 바카라사이트 union had argued that failure to meet income targets should not be sufficient reason for inclusion in 바카라사이트 capability procedure.

¡°There is now widespread anxiety among staff generally, for 바카라사이트y feel 바카라사이트y are being asked to meet unrealistic grant income targets and 바카라사이트n threatened with a capability procedure when 바카라사이트y do not achieve 바카라사이트m,¡± Mr Harpur said.

¡°There seems to be little recognition that this strategy is likely to produce fear, demoralisation and sleepless nights among academic staff.¡±

A professor, who asked to remain anonymous, said that morale was already low as a result of 바카라사이트 announcement that Queen¡¯s will axe 236 jobs by December, with compulsory redundancies a possibility if voluntary reductions cannot be made ¨C and that 바카라사이트 ¡°crude management approach¡± on grant income only exacerbated 바카라사이트 situation.

¡°Research success is best served in a collegial environment with colleagues collaborating and encouraging each o바카라사이트r,¡± 바카라사이트 professor said.

¡°Setting unreasonable and crude income targets that individuals must meet creates an atmosphere of competition and fear that will be counterproductive and very difficult to overcome.¡±

A Queen¡¯s spokesman said that its academic standards were ¡°developed by 바카라사이트 academic community¡±, and that 바카라사이트 recent review had been led by faculty deans in consultation with heads of school.

¡°As part of 바카라사이트 review, schools benchmarked performance against suitable comparator groups, with this benchmarking data used to inform final agreed standards,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman said, adding that 바카라사이트 standards were endorsed by 바카라사이트 university senate on 14 April.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com