Employment

UK science minister hits out at ‘spurious’ research metrics and ‘publish or perish’ lab culture

Universities call for members to have option to reduce their contributions in return for different benefits

It makes no economic sense for job-retention schemes to postpone the inevitable, says Paul Oslington

Knowledge transfer and start-up incubators are more important than ever given the economic downturn in the wake of Covid-19, say university leaders in South Korea

Toronto president tells summit that ‘quality of city’ is crucial for university headhunting

No redundancy target announced as Australian university braces for massive loss of international earnings

University of East London warns it faces a £31 million revenue loss over the coming year, and needs to cut costs to stay solvent

Australian thinktank tracks sharp increase in overseas recruitment stations and warns of links to covert activities

Australian university insists it is just planning for potential scenarios, amid claims that 3,000 jobs are at risk 

Fewer casual staff and burdens of increased online teaching leave academics struggling with mounting workload and place question mark over future of traditional contractual arrangements

Early-career and female researchers experience the greatest mental health toll, Australian surveys find

Top researchers call for universities and funders to sign up to new set of principles to stamp out harassment

Reductions ‘necessary to ensure that the university not only survives but thrives’

Union says that more than 1,000 posts are under review at at King’s College London, with Liverpool also looking at major cuts

Coronavirus-induced workforce shedding has exposed the chasm in Australian university employment arrangements, says John Ross

The scant information about job losses among Australia’s insecure staff speaks volumes about how management sees them, say critics

As online teaching increases, cutting casualised and short-term staff will cost more down the line, conference hears

Across leading higher education sectors, black and ethnic minority academics are more likely to be in the insecure roles being targeted by coronavirus-triggered saving programmes

Australian decision a reminder that universities cannot impose unrealistic research requirements, academic union says

Emergency measures exemplify different treatment of public and private universities, critics say

Thinktank says lecturers on short-term contracts could lead to worse outcomes for students, as report concludes there are no easy ways to cut university costs

Erin Hatton draws on an ‘odious comparison’ to illuminate the extraordinary powers coaches and supervisors can wield over their students

Order frustrates US colleges but spares key training programme

‘Personal crisis’ may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for some insecurely employed staff

Questions raised about the responses of universities in marketised systems as they focus savings efforts on non-permanent staff

Representatives agree to discuss how to safely reopen campuses

Voluntary scheme in response to pandemic ‘devastates’ staff

Economical changes and positive mindset could alleviate the industry’s woes, says federal MP

New figures in Hepi report show continued rise in counselling service referrals, with warnings of further impact from pandemic crisis

Sexism, unthinking managerialism and toxic ‘them and us’ attitudes are still pervasive within UK universities, according to an anonymous academic who found the dissonances between her values, career expectations and lived reality too much to bear

Latest data show about a quarter of universities now have a fifth of full-time academics classed as teaching only

Critics say Australian tribunal finding confuses workload measures with performance ratings

Historian says he has been unable access notes and part-written books, but Swansea says it has been providing files

Negotiators ‘within reach of agreements’ as union cuts demands on pay rises and pension contributions, says general secretary

Statement issued as union claims fears of ‘reputational damage’ have forced leading UK universities to act

Move to reduce reliance on SCI citations in decision-making could affect everything from researchers’ careers to university rankings, experts say

Graduate students had been seeking help with high housing costs

University of Salford says ‘consultation is ongoing’ with eight professors in its business school as ‘newly focused research strategy’ is implemented

Union and employers refuse to make further concessions as 14 days of industrial action continue at 74 universities

Staff vent frustration that employers haven’t recognised the bigger picture behind the walkouts

Paper confirms that academics with permanent posts are on average more satisfied with their job than those on temporary contracts

Universities decline to make fresh offers on pay and pensions as union prepares for second round of industrial action

Alienation of Chinese students and graduates risks encouraging a monoculture of the ‘male, pale and stale’, senate told

Law scholars see wider battle against hierarchical abuse in US dispute

University of Massachusetts Boston enables departments to bid for second position for under-represented scholar when undergoing existing search

Walkouts to escalate over February and March

Bristol deal also gives greater recognition to ‘good citizenship’ in promotion process and is seen as model for sector

Total number of union branches eligible to strike this year reaches 74

Employers’ body says it has ‘gone further than ever before’ with latest offer, but union says it is ‘some distance’ from fulfilling staff demands

Hundreds of complaints are passed to regulator, including claims that punishing hours and pressure have contributed to divorces and estrangement from children

Almost a third of staff in UK higher education are now classed as teaching-only

New Zealand analysis of ‘globally unique’ dataset repudiates common justifications for earnings disparities

Cornell-based centre asks candidates to assemble in teams and submit joint proposals to boost collaboration

Staff nerves fray as whistleblower row university calls time on course

UCL academic ‘staggered by the levels of mistrust’ shown as institutions ‘over-comply’ with Home Office policy

UCU report examines how academics on insecure contracts are ‘vulnerable and open to exploitation’

Arbitrator finds campus unfairly limited hours to avoid having to provide tuition fee benefits

Like the rest of society, universities have largely failed to consider the specific needs of menopausal women. Here, one scholar describes how this can lead to marginalisation and bullying – and why the issue is as important as the fight for maternity rights

Poll of 4,000 researchers reveals half have sought or wanted help for mental health problems, and four in 10 are victims of bullying or harassment

Study finds levels of psychological safety falling well short of national benchmarks, and getting worse