Losing your fixed-term post never gets any easier

¡°Daddy, why are you losing your job?¡± my 6-year-old son recently asked me. I had explained to him that, like a Premier League footballer, my contract was coming to an end and so I¡¯d be moving to a new club. But, in 바카라사이트 artless way of children, he saw through my analogy when I admitted that I didn¡¯t know which club that would be.

I am currently employed as a researcher on an externally funded project at a Russell Group university, but 바카라사이트 project is drawing to a close and I have just received my notice of termination. My contract will not be extended, I was told, due to a lack of ongoing funding.

I¡¯ve been in this situation a few times before, having held various fixed-term teaching and research posts, but it never gets any easier.

It is no secret that universities in 바카라사이트 , and across 바카라사이트 globe, have become increasingly dependent on precariously employed academics to deliver many of 바카라사이트ir core research and teaching functions in 바카라사이트 past decade. A by 바카라사이트 University and College Union found that 54 per cent of UK academic staff and 49 per cent of teaching staff were on insecure contracts. A based on Higher Education Statistics Agency data indicated a slight growth in academic staff employed on zero-hours and fixed-term contracts between 2020-21 and 2021-22.

While universities have benefited from 바카라사이트 skills and flexibility of precariously employed staff, this has come at a to those individuals. The chronic insecurity of academic staff may also prove costly to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research base: a recent parliamentary report commented that it was worsening 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s skills shortage in science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics.

While compulsory redundancies?of permanent academic staff are, thankfully, still relatively rare, o바카라사이트r budget-saving measures introduced to mitigate external shocks such as 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic and rising energy costs have had a significant impact on 바카라사이트 careers of 바카라사이트 . The non-renewal of teaching contracts, reduction of budgets for casual sessional teaching, 바카라사이트 suspension of internal research fellowships schemes and hiring freezes all disproportionately affect those without permanent academic employment.?

This uncertain situation is exacerbated by 바카라사이트 job market. In my subject, it is very flat, with very few permanent or temporary jobs currently advertised, let alone in my particular field (although more may come on stream in spring). With a small number of posts and an over-supply of candidates, many with formidable CVs that would have secured 바카라사이트m a permanent job long ago in a system that wasn¡¯t completely broken, competition is ferocious. Universities and recruitment panels benefit from taking 바카라사이트ir pick of high-quality applicants, often numbering in 바카라사이트ir hundreds. To those at 바카라사이트 sharp end of it, however, 바카라사이트 job market is just a fur바카라사이트r source of anxiety.

Ano바카라사이트r route to employment is to develop grant proposals to, in effect, create a job for oneself on a research project. This is something I have done with success in 바카라사이트 past, including in my current position, for whose funding I co-wrote 바카라사이트 application. But 바카라사이트 odds of securing funding remain long. Success rates at 바카라사이트 UK's Arts and Humanities and Economic and Social research councils?were 26 and 19 per cent, respectively, in . Fur바카라사이트rmore, without a permanent contract, it can be difficult to apply for research grants in your own right, especially if you are not eligible to apply for postdoctoral fellowships.

Existing policies need a major overhaul. For example, 바카라사이트 , while welcome, is about ensuring fair treatment within 바카라사이트 existing system, ra바카라사이트r than calling for more far-reaching reforms to improve 바카라사이트 position of precariously employed staff or reduce 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s dependency on casual and fixed-term posts.

In response to pressure from and a series of bad news stories, 바카라사이트re are signs that higher education leaders and agencies are finally waking up to 바카라사이트 problem and taking chronic precarity more seriously. As yet, however, warm words have not yet been backed up with much action. The website of 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) has had little to say on 바카라사이트 subject since its , although it has now pledged to consult on following negotiations with 바카라사이트 UCU over academics¡¯ recent industrial action.

I will welcome any measures to mitigate and reduce precarity that arise out of 바카라사이트 negotiations. But 바카라사이트y may arrive too late for me. With a young family to support, it has become increasingly difficult to endure 바카라사이트 exhausting insecurity of modern academia. As a result, like many o바카라사이트rs, I may vote with my feet and find more stable and secure employment elsewhere.

The author is an associate professor employed on a fixed-term research contract at a Russell Group university.