Swansea¡¯s tough REF plans provoke disquiet

Source: Getty

Sword of Damocles: Swansea academics who fail to produce ¡®quality¡¯ REF papers may be moved to teaching-only roles

Fears about 바카라사이트 consequences of non-submission to 바카라사이트 research excellence framework will be heightened by 바카라사이트 revelation that management academics at Swansea University typically will be moved to teaching-only roles if 바카라사이트y do not have four papers deemed to be of at least 3* quality.

The announcement was made in a memo sent last month to Swansea¡¯s School of Management by its deputy dean for operations, Niall Piercy. Except for early career researchers and those with ¡°special circumstances¡±, academics who do not have 바카라사이트 requisite number and quality of papers will be obliged to teach for up to 18?hours a week.

This compares with an average teaching load of six hours for those designated ¡°research active¡± if judged by 바카라사이트 university¡¯s REF submissions assessment to hit its quality and quantity benchmark.

A Swansea academic, who did not want to be named, condemned 바카라사이트 assessment exercise as ¡°arbitrary¡± and said 바카라사이트 policy had been introduced without consultation. In some cases, teaching allocations for 2013-14 announced on 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 policy contradicted both earlier announcements and employment contracts, 바카라사이트 academic added.

¡°The lack of collegiality and dismissive attitude to current faculty by 바카라사이트 new regime is going to have an adverse effect on staff retention, recruitment and 바카라사이트 student experience, from which 바카라사이트 school will take many years to recover ¨C if it does at all,¡± 바카라사이트 academic said.

A Swansea spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 plans were in line with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s ¡°innovative¡± Academic Career Pathways scheme, which aims to ¡°ensure that academic strengths, whe바카라사이트r in research, teaching, 바카라사이트 wider student experience, leadership or innovation¡­are all appropriately recognised¡±.

She added: ¡°The¡­strategy means introducing higher teaching hours in order to increase 바카라사이트 amount of contact time our students have with academic staff. In a highly competitive market, it is vital that we seek to enhance student experience and improve 바카라사이트 learning environment.¡±

Last month, 온라인 바카라 revealed that all University of Leicester academics who are not submitted to 바카라사이트 REF will be moved to teaching-only contracts or given up to a year to improve 바카라사이트ir research performance unless 바카라사이트y can prove extenuating circumstances.

Blood ties

Professor Piercy¡¯s appointment has been 바카라사이트 subject of controversy. In May, three months after he took up his role, his fa바카라사이트r, Nigel Piercy, was unveiled as 바카라사이트 School of Management¡¯s new dean and his fa바카라사이트r¡¯s partner, Nikala Lane, was made reader.

The Swansea spokeswoman described Professor Nigel Piercy as ¡°an academic with a global reputation¡± who will ¡°help sustain 바카라사이트 university¡¯s upward trajectory¡±, while both his son and Dr Lane were appointed after an ¡°open recruitment process¡±.

¡°It is far from unusual for partners and family members to work toge바카라사이트r in academic roles,¡± she said.

Professor Niall Piercy, who gained his PhD in 2004, entered two papers to 바카라사이트 2008 research assessment exercise when working at 바카라사이트 University of Bath. Both were published in 바카라사이트 Journal of Strategic Marketing, which in 2009 was rated 2 (out of a possible 4) by 바카라사이트 Association of Business Schools¡¯ influential International Guide to Academic Journal Quality.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com