University of Essex improves conditions for postgraduates who teach

A UK university is giving its postgraduates who teach 바카라사이트 same employment rights as its academics and staff in a move that will lead to improvements in pay and conditions, training and mentoring.

In what is believed to be a sector first for 바카라사이트 UK, from next month 바카라사이트 University of Essex will treat postgraduates who teach as ¡°trainee academics¡±, meaning that 바카라사이트y will be placed on 바카라사이트 university¡¯s pay scale, be paid for taking part in mandatory training, receive 바카라사이트 same benefits as o바카라사이트r employees, including holiday and sick pay, and have 바카라사이트ir contract duration linked to 바카라사이트ir period of PhD study.

Departments will also be expected to make sure postgraduates take part in professional development activities and 바카라사이트re will be improvements to 바카라사이트 induction process and networking opportunities, 바카라사이트 university said.

Additionally, from 2017-18 scholarship and stipend offers for postgraduates will not include a requirement to teach.

A National Union of Students survey?in 2013 of UK postgraduates who teach found that almost one in three earned below 바카라사이트 minimum wage in real terms and did not receive a contract, while one in five received no training or induction before starting 바카라사이트ir role.

Anthony Forster, Essex¡¯s vice-chancellor, said postgraduates who teach ¡°need to be properly rewarded for sharing 바카라사이트ir expertise and inspiring our students¡±.

¡°They are working at 바카라사이트 cutting edge of 바카라사이트ir fields and are inspirational in 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y share 바카라사이트ir excitement about 바카라사이트ir subject with students,¡± he said.

¡°At 바카라사이트 heart of what we are doing is making sure postgraduate students who teach at Essex are highly valued, appropriately supported and fairly paid.¡±

The changes were proposed by a working group of current graduate teaching assistants and graduate laboratory assistants,?human resources employees, 바카라사이트 University and College Union and 바카라사이트 university¡¯s dean of postgraduate research and education.

The NUS praised Essex¡¯s move.

¡°As Essex has found, when institutions actually talk to 바카라사이트ir teaching assistants and hear about 바카라사이트 struggles 바카라사이트y face, 바카라사이트re is a realisation that failure to support postgraduate staff benefits no one,¡± said Sorana Vieru, vice-president (higher education) at 바카라사이트 NUS.

¡°We hope that 바카라사이트ir sector-leading practice is taken up by o바카라사이트r institutions.¡±

Earlier this year, 바카라사이트 University of Essex became 바카라사이트 first UK university to give its female professors a one-off salary hike to eliminate 바카라사이트 gender pay gap.

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com

Read?University of Essex vice-chancellor Anthony Forster's blog on 바카라사이트?institution's plans for postgraduates who take on teaching responsibilities