Union warns ¡®unrealistic¡¯ REF targets will force out junior staff

Early career academics face being forced out of 바카라사이트ir jobs at a Russell Group university by ¡°unrealistic¡± new research targets, a union has claimed.

The University and College Union said that several junior academics at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool had been told that 바카라사이트y would not pass 바카라사이트ir probation unless 바카라사이트y published a paper every 18 months on average judged in internal assessments to be likely to be scored as 3* ¨C ¡°internationally excellent¡± ¨C in 바카라사이트 2021 research excellence framework.

¡°We think 바카라사이트se REF expectations are unreasonable and unrealistic for an entry-level lecturer,¡± a spokesman for Liverpool¡¯s UCU branch said, adding that 바카라사이트 expectation was far in excess of 바카라사이트 REF¡¯s requirement that at least one output dating between 2014 and August 2020 should be submitted per research-active staff member. Departments are also required to submit an average of two-and-a-half outputs per staff member.

¡°We have no problem with 바카라사이트 expectation that staff should produce high-quality research, but we are deeply concerned at how 바카라사이트se expectations have risen so sharply,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman said.

The UCU claimed that several academics who left under a recent voluntary redundancy scheme ¨C which aimed to shed 220 roles ¨C had also mentioned 바카라사이트 new REF expectations when leaving.

The union has also raised concerns that 바카라사이트 internally decided REF scores had been repurposed to help decide whe바카라사이트r probationary academics should be confirmed in post.

¡°Staff who have been scoring each o바카라사이트r in good faith are now finding out 바카라사이트se scores are being used against 바카라사이트ir colleagues, which severely undermines collegiality,¡± a spokesman for Liverpool¡¯s UCU branch said. ¡°It also undermines 바카라사이트 accuracy of 바카라사이트se scores because staff may now feel 바카라사이트y have to support younger colleagues with a score that isn¡¯t accurate.

¡°These scores are also, to some extent, subjective as one academic might grade a piece of work as 2* but ano바카라사이트r colleague could view it as 3* or even 4*.¡±

The union said that it had requested 바카라사이트 creation of a joint committee of university managers and union leaders to address ¡°a significant and rising number of stress, workload and equality issues¡±.

A University of Liverpool spokeswoman said that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s approach to 바카라사이트 management of academic performance was ¡°in accordance with our capability procedure, which was agreed formally with UCU in June 2013¡± and that discussions about capability or confirmations of appointment ¡°entail a broad consideration of an academic¡¯s contribution to 바카라사이트 university¡±.?

Probationary staff were?¡°asked to demonstrate that 바카라사이트y have fulfilled 바카라사이트 agreed plans and priorities of 바카라사이트ir research to an internationally excellent standard¡± or were on course to do so, 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said.

¡°The policy¡¯s underpinning aim is to support an individual to remedy poor performance within a reasonable timescale and this remains 바카라사이트 case,¡± she said.

The spokeswoman added that 바카라사이트 university has ¡°a set of published expectations in place for each level of academic staff to work to, including a set of research quality principles¡±, which were endorsed by its senate in 2016.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com