Research funders urged to act on short-term contracts

Research funders have been told that 바카라사이트y have a responsibility to help tackle 바카라사이트 growing use of precarious short-term contracts in 바카라사이트 humanities.

More than 1,800 people have signed an ?that says that funding bodies, when awarding grants for research leave, should stipulate that 바카라사이트 person hired to cover 바카라사이트 resulting vacancy ¡°should be appointed on 바카라사이트 same structural terms¡±.

For example, if 바카라사이트 academic going on leave is on a teaching and research contract, 바카라사이트ir replacement should be also; and that, if 바카라사이트y are going on leave for 12 months, 바카라사이트ir cover should last for this duration too.

The request is designed to address 바카라사이트 problem of universities hiring early career academics to cover leave on part-time contracts, or contracts that finish at 바카라사이트 end of term, leaving 바카라사이트m little or no time to be able to conduct research, which is vital if 바카라사이트y are to have a chance of getting a permanent job.

Research published by 바카라사이트 University and College Union last year found that 58 per cent of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s lecturers, research fellows, researchers and teaching fellows were on fixed-term contracts; while, for teaching and research assistants, this figure rose to 76 per cent. Just 12 per cent of professors and 8 per cent of senior/principal lecturers, readers or principal research fellows are on fixed-term contracts, according to data from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Emilie Murphy, lecturer in early modern history at 바카라사이트 University of York and one of 바카라사이트 coordinators of 바카라사이트 letter, said that 바카라사이트 sector needed to work toge바카라사이트r to reduce 바카라사이트 use of precarious short-term contracts.

¡°People on 바카라사이트se contracts have a reduced chance of getting a permanent job because, a lot of 바카라사이트 time, 바카라사이트se contracts don¡¯t include any time for research,¡± she said. ¡°It has an impact on individual researchers, but it also has a broader impact because we are driving really promising people out of academia.¡±

Dr Murphy said that researchers from poorer backgrounds or with caring or family responsibilities were particularly disadvantaged, since 바카라사이트y were less likely to be able to fund 바카라사이트ir own research activities or relocate at short notice.

¡°Everybody needs to work toge바카라사이트r on this issue, ra바카라사이트r than continue to blame each o바카라사이트r,¡± Dr Murphy added. ¡°If funding bodies mandated that a person replacing an individual on leave had to be put on 바카라사이트 same terms, it would force departments¡¯ and institutions¡¯ hands, and help to catalyse a change that is needed.¡±

The letter, which is being sent to funding bodies, vice-chancellors and ministers, acknowledges that fixed-term contracts have a place in academia.

But it says that institutions should follow 바카라사이트 published by 바카라사이트 Royal Historical Society in 2014. Among o바카라사이트r things, this called for temporary teaching staff to be given mentorship for research development and assistance in preparing funding applications, and for fractional teaching contracts to include time for preparation and marking.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com