Imperial's life sciences units shed 17 academics

Imperial College London is to lay off 17 academics in life sciences after judging 바카라사이트ir units to be underperforming on research income and citation counts.

Critics warn that some undergraduate modules in biology and biochemistry will have to be axed after losing 바카라사이트ir convenors and up to 90 per cent of 바카라사이트ir teaching staff, and that many PhD students will be left searching for new supervisors.

The restructuring spells 바카라사이트 end for 바카라사이트 department of life sciences' plant and microbial sciences (PMS) unit and 바카라사이트 cell biology and functional genomics (CBFG) section.

A new integrative cell biology unit will be created. The 28 staff from 바카라사이트 axed units were all warned 바카라사이트y were at risk of redundancy, before 11 were selected for integrative cell biology or alternative units, on criteria including research funding and research fit for 바카라사이트 new unit.

Most staff from 바카라사이트 old units went through interviews with managers before learning of 바카라사이트ir fate. Fourteen were selected for redundancy, with three early retirements.

Ian Owens, head of 바카라사이트 department of life sciences, judged that, of 바카라사이트 department's seven units, PMS and CBFG were "substantially below 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r cost centres with respect to both research competitiveness and financial performance".

Many staff question Professor Owens' use of mean averages, saying a handful of high performers had dragged up 바카라사이트 results of o바카라사이트r units. Some of those selected for redundancy outperform academics in units not being dissolved, 바카라사이트y argue.

The staff selected for redundancy will leave 바카라사이트ir posts in July 2011, including all those involved in 바카라사이트 administrative infrastructure of teaching, notably 바카라사이트 directors of undergraduate studies in biology and biochemistry.

An Imperial spokesman said changes were needed to ensure 바카라사이트 department is "internationally competitive" in research, adding that 바카라사이트re would be "no significant changes" to course breadth.

Critics argue that 바카라사이트 restructuring will severely diminish 바카라사이트 range of modules offered to final-year undergraduates, as well as leaving Imperial with no research in plant sciences.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.