Teacher nomad gets lost in academia
Lecturers with a temporary appointment at universities have little idea of an academic career. The 'teacher nomad' has little choice but to wander from one temporary position to another.
Picture: Nina Maissouradze
Psychologist Djoeke van der Sluis gave up her job as a consultant four years ago, to move to Utrecht University. With a teaching contract with no prospect of renewal, she knew what she was getting into. “I took this opportunity with all my love, because I feel at home in the academic world,” says Van der Sluis.
But the position mainly turned out to be an opportunity to work very hard: despite being nominated as Teacher Talent of the Year, a permanent contract was out of the question. “Of course you hope it will change, our Teaching Academy Utrecht University network has offered a manifesto,” says Van der Sluis shortly before she has to empty her desk at Utrecht Science Park. “The response boiled down to: 'nothing is going to change'. A corona crisis and a recession are an awkward period to be out on the street. I have tried to prepare for this moment, but education is always more urgent. ”
Flexibility
The teacher is gone, the work remains: Van der Sluis is succeeded by another temporary employee. This flexibilisation of labor has been a thorn in the side of trade unions in higher education for years. “Structural work requires permanent employment contracts,” says Marijtje Jongsma, Chief Executive Officer of Scientific Education and Research at the AOb. "But because there is no money to give these lecturers at the university research time, the universities do not see any career prospects."
Stringing temporary contracts has a history. André Linnenbank received a laureate from the Platform Reform of Dutch Universities in 2014 for the longest series of temporary employment contracts: 304 months since his first appointment. Although he did research and taught, this never led to a permanent appointment and the publicity surrounding the laureate did not help him either. Linnenbank has been teaching physics in secondary education since 2015. “My departure was not voluntary, nor was my choice of work environment. As a result, my former colleagues now lack relevant knowledge and experience. ”
University research is becoming increasingly distant from university education
It should be better on paper. As good employers, universities have to worry about the careers of their staff. Agreements about this have been made in the collective labor agreement, but more than 40 percent of the staff still works on a temporary contract. Jongsma sees these teacher nomads stuck between the demands of the academic world and the financial possibilities. “There is 1,5 billion euros underfunding. University research is getting further and further removed from university education. Universities are going along with this by granting their researchers exemption from teaching duties, which in turn will require temporary lecturer replacements. This separation from research and education leads to teacher nomads. ”
The most recent collective labor agreement makes another attempt with the option of temporary contracts of six years, with opportunities for research and a promotion. It came up during an application by Djoeke van der Sluis. “It was not considered realistic to have an entire promotion plan drawn up before September. If I had succeeded, I would have had to do my PhD in my own time within a six-year contract. ”
Acquiring a permanent contract on your own is virtually impossible, is the experience of Elisa da Via (38), lecturer at International Studies at Leiden University. However
she has won her contract, thanks to the training board that went all out for extra FTEs. “As teachers, it took us years to get them moving and with the five people out of four FTEs who are now joining, half of the teachers are still on a temporary contract. I got one of the permanent positions because I have been there for a relatively long time, since February 2018. Colleagues are usually hired here for a year or six months, with a maximum of two extensions. ”
Excesses
Young teachers need to see their value, says Da Via, who also has no working time for research in her new contract. “I notice that it is difficult to find people who can teach and coordinate a course. The university needs us. ” Will that realization improve the situation in five years? Jongsma: “The excesses are visible, there is movement, the necessity has become widely known. The Netherlands should not want scientific work to become unattractive to talented people, as has already happened in fundamental education. Now it is clearly up to the universities and the government. ”
Djoeke van der Sluis doesn't see it happening yet: “I don't see any willingness to change anything. This is too luxurious a position for the university to voluntarily say goodbye to. It's a shame I have to ask myself if I should continue with this. In any case, I am not going to move for an insecure job of four years. ”
Also read: 'More money is needed for permanent research jobs'
This article appeared in November's Education Magazine. The Education Magazine in your mail every month? Become a member!
