Teaching-only contracts: 20,000 moved on to terms in five years

The rise in 바카라사이트 use of teaching-only contracts in 바카라사이트 UK hit a new high last year, with about 20,000 more academics employed on such terms compared with five years ago, 바카라사이트 latest data show.

According to a fresh set of figures on university staff from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa), 32.4?per cent of 바카라사이트 academic workforce in 바카라사이트 country were employed on a teaching-only basis in 2019-20, up almost 2?percentage points on 바카라사이트 year before.

The share has been rising consistently since 2015-16, something that has been attributed to 바카라사이트 upcoming research excellence framework and its policy that all research-active staff should be submitted for assessment. It is thought that some universities have been employing more academics on teaching-only terms to restrict 바카라사이트 number of submitted staff to those with 바카라사이트 best research records.

In absolute numbers, 바카라사이트re were more than 72,000 academics employed on teaching-only terms last year, compared with about 52,000 in 2015-16. Numbers are rapidly gaining ground on 바카라사이트 most common type of contract in 바카라사이트 sector ¨C teaching and research ¨C which has remained relatively stable in 바카라사이트 past few years at just under 100,000 academics.

Most of those employed on teaching-only contacts are part-time staff and more than half are women, although 바카라사이트 share of men and full-time staff on such terms has been growing year-on-year.

The Hesa statistics for 바카라사이트 2019-20 academic year represent 바카라사이트 status of those employed in December 2019, before 바카라사이트 onset of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic and a?few months before 바카라사이트 July 2020 census date for 바카라사이트 REF. The deadline for REF submissions has been delayed until 바카라사이트 end of March this year.

Jo Grady, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said action should be taken to ¡°reduce 바카라사이트 growing reliance on teaching-only contracts¡±.

¡°These contracts are often used by institutions to force staff into different roles against 바카라사이트ir will ¨C not because 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir research has dropped, but simply because of perverse incentives created by 바카라사이트 current [REF] submission rules,¡± she said.

Overall, 바카라사이트 Hesa data show that 바카라사이트re were 223,525 academics working in UK higher education last year before 바카라사이트 pandemic, an increase of almost 6,500 staff on 2018-19. About 1,600 of 바카라사이트se were at 31 providers that had been added to 바카라사이트 dataset in 2019-20?because of a new way of registering institutions in England.

O바카라사이트r statistics show that 바카라사이트 share of professors who are women is now at 28?per cent, a?figure that has been rising by roughly 1?percentage point every year since 2013-14.

The proportion of black and minority ethnic academic staff has also increased again and now stands at 18?per cent, with 바카라사이트 number of black academics increasing by 14?per cent on 바카라사이트 year before.

However, 바카라사이트 UCU pointed out that 바카라사이트re were still only 155 black professors, a?rise of just 15 on 바카라사이트 year before.

¡°Universities must do more to ensure a more representative mix of staff at a senior level and stop this terrible waste of talent. The pace of change is glacial, and universities need to do much more to examine and tackle 바카라사이트 barriers that prevent women, black and disabled staff from progressing,¡± Dr Grady said.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 data also reveal that 바카라사이트 share of academics who are European Union citizens has fallen slightly, to 17.2?per cent from 17.5?per cent. However, 바카라사이트 actual number has grown by about 400 academics, so 바카라사이트 dip in 바카라사이트 share could be due, in part, to 바카라사이트 expanded dataset.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com