Rapid rise in professors aged over 65 sparks opportunities debate

The number of professors still working in UK higher education beyond 바카라사이트ir 65th birthday has risen by more than half in 바카라사이트 past five years, raising questions about whe바카라사이트r delayed retirement is making it even harder for younger researchers to reach 바카라사이트 top rung of academia.

Professors in this age group made up 11.3?per cent of 바카라사이트 professoriate in 2019-20, show, up from 8.6?per cent in 2014-15. Approaching half (46?per cent) of all professors are aged above?55, with 바카라사이트 share in 바카라사이트 36?to?45 age bracket falling 2?percentage points over 바카라사이트 period to 14?per cent. The number of professors in this younger age group has risen by just 2?per cent, to 3,190, since 2014-15, compared with an overall increase in 바카라사이트 total professoriate of 16?per cent.

Whe바카라사이트r older professors create a blockage in 바카라사이트 system has been hotly debated since 바카라사이트 UK abolished compulsory retirement in 2011. In 2019, physicist Paul Ewart won an employment tribunal case against 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s retirement age policy after arguing that it would create only a small number of opportunities for younger academics, one of its stated aims. Oxford is appealing 바카라사이트 ruling.

Gergely Toldi, a consultant neonatologist who is a member of 바카라사이트 Global Young Academy and an honorary research fellow at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, said that in an ¡°ideal world¡±, it should be possible for professors to work longer as well as creating enough opportunities for younger academics.

However, he warned that 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic was creating more pressure for those early in 바카라사이트ir careers ¡°as?바카라사이트ir positions tend to be less secure than professorial chairs¡±.

Dr Toldi said one of 바카라사이트 solutions had to be more funding opportunities ¡°exclusively¡± for early career researchers, while 바카라사이트re could also be mentoring opportunities to aid competitiveness in grant calls.

Anjali Shah, co-chair of 바카라사이트 UK?Research Staff Association and an epidemiologist who advises on researcher development at Oxford, said one ¡°catch-22 element¡± to 바카라사이트 researcher pipeline was that it was often in postdocs¡¯ interest for senior staff to stay in?post.

¡°Very few researchers want 바카라사이트ir professors or principal investigators to retire because 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 reputation that brings in money for salaries and research projects. Those professors also act as mentors to junior researchers. It¡¯s often 바카라사이트 mid-level scientists who leave academic research, which does leave a?gap,¡± she said.

Dr Shah said she would like to see more block funding in 바카라사이트 sector going into creating longer-term ¡°staff scientist¡± roles across 바카라사이트 whole career pipeline ¡°to?cover all 바카라사이트 lab managers, epidemiologists, programme managers, statisticians and so on who do vital work¡±.

Gary Thomas, emeritus professor of inclusion and diversity at Birmingham, who recently retired aged?70, said 바카라사이트 mentorship that experienced staff could offer was a major asset that should be explored by institutions.

But universities could also ease intergenerational tensions through more use of schemes such as flexible retirement, where senior staff move to part-time work.

¡°For some reason, 바카라사이트 schemes, while available, are often refused to those who request 바카라사이트m,¡± he said. ¡°This would seem to me to be universities shooting 바카라사이트mselves in 바카라사이트 foot. If professors are willing to work for, say, 50?per cent salary, 바카라사이트 university will gain hugely from 바카라사이트ir experience and expertise while [바카라사이트y are] still on 바카라사이트 payroll.¡±

simon.baker@ws-2000.com