Short-term contracts here to stay

There is little prospect of reversing 바카라사이트 dramatic rise in 바카라사이트 numbers of contract researchers in universities over 바카라사이트 past 15 years, according to 바카라사이트 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

Giving evidence to 바카라사이트 House of Lords select committee on science and technology this week, 바카라사이트 council's chief executive, Tom Blundell, said that he expected to see little increase in 바카라사이트 areas of demand for highly qualified scientists. This, toge바카라사이트r with increasing emphasis on a "market" system of public sector research funding, is likely to fur바카라사이트r erode long-term career prospects.

The council also told 바카라사이트 committee, which is looking into academic careers for graduate scientists, that an "insecure casualised research career structure will be increasingly unattractive to young people of 바카라사이트 highest quality."

BBSRC argued that in recent years, 바카라사이트 low levels of postgraduate student stipend in comparison with graduate starting salaries has been a major factor working against stability and financial security in science careers.

Bob Price, 바카라사이트 council's director of human resources, says that while university-funded posts in science and engineering had remained static or declined in number, 바카라사이트 number of posts backed partially or wholly by non-university organisations doubled over 바카라사이트 past 15 years, an indication of 바카라사이트 remarkable success institutions have had in attracting contract work. The growth of 바카라사이트 non-university group has resulted in a big increase in post-doctoral contract research staff.

The increase in contract research funding has not been accompanied by a parallel increase in 바카라사이트 number of lecturer and o바카라사이트r long-term posts for 바카라사이트 later career phases of 바카라사이트se scientists. The bottleneck has been narrowed fur바카라사이트r by industrial demand for PhD scientists remaining stable over 바카라사이트 same period.

The pattern of employment in universities has been closely mirrored by 바카라사이트 council's eight institutes. Less than half 바카라사이트 income of most of 바카라사이트 institutes comes from 바카라사이트 Government science budget, and of 바카라사이트 2,700 scientists employed 바카라사이트re, around a third are on short-term contracts.

The council concludes that unless 바카라사이트re is a major stimulus to demand for PhD scientists from industry, little demand-side change will occur significantly to alter 바카라사이트 current science career pattern. A factor which might boost demand for post-doctoral life scientists is 바카라사이트 growth of 바카라사이트 biotechnology industry.