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More money is needed for permanent research jobs

The career prospects of young scientists are poor due to recurrent temporary appointments, tough competition and pressure to perform. The new collective labor agreement stipulates that research into improving career opportunities is required.

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More than 40 percent of scientific staff in the Netherlands works on temporary contracts and on average scientists work about ten to fifteen hours a week unpaid overtime. PhD students and postdocs do this to outdo or at least equal the competition: the pressure to perform is still high. University lecturers without a research appointment also feel the need to deliver research results, because, they believe, they otherwise have no prospect of a next contract.

The action group WO in Actie collected this information, supported by AOb and FNV, this spring. The action group called on university employees to report structural overtime to the Labor Inspectorate. Within two weeks, the counter was already at more than seven hundred reports.

Signal

According to researcher and action member Willemien Sanders, structural overtime is a signal that shows the difficult career prospects of many scientists. “Not everyone who has a PhD has to continue as a researcher,” says Sanders. There are enough people who find a good job and make a career in the business world, with social organizations or in politics. "But if you want to continue within science as a PhD student or postdoc, there is hardly any room."

According to AObsector manager Donald Pechler, it is therefore important that in the new collective labor agreement states that the career prospects of young scientists and junior lecturers should be further examined. “We have known for some time that the pressure on young researchers is high and that career opportunities are small. We didn't want to let the point be overwhelmed by the corona crisis. ”

Market thinking is increasingly ruling the world of research. The trend is to pay for the research, but not the researcher

That also confirms AObdirector Marijtje Jongsma, who is involved in scientific education. “Market thinking is increasingly leading the way in the research world. The trend is to pay for the research, but not the researcher. ” Market thinking that has been carried too far has resulted in a proliferation of short projects and short appointments. “The result is academic nomads,” says Jongsma. "Lecturers in particular move from university to university, whereby experience and continuity are lost."

In addition, the declining chance of obtaining research funding has led to hyper-competition among scientists: they are all trying to get a grant. "If you ask me what needs to be done for the next collective labor agreement, I will say: we want more structural means to create permanent positions, involving both teaching and research."

If you ask me what should happen for the next collective labor agreement, I would say: we want more structural resources to create permanent appointments, involving both teaching and research.

According to Jongsma, what should be taken into account is the realization that the many temporary appointments and the hypercompetition have led to an unsafe social work climate, which has a negative impact on the quality of university education and research.

Seasonal work

One of those researchers who forges one contract with another is philosopher Carlo Ierna. He obtained his PhD ten years ago and had 2016 temporary contracts at five universities since XNUMX. “As soon as my course is back on the schedule, I will be called. I actually do some sort of seasonal work. ” He took the temporary teaching jobs realizing that he had to do all the research in his own time. "If you do not conduct research and do not publish, you no longer have any chance of a research grant."

Since last year, Ierna has a permanent education contract of 0,23 FTE at the VU and is participating in research in the field of artificial intelligence at Radboud University. “But I can never get a mortgage on that. Our income is underestimated. After her PhD, my wife chose to become a coach and counselor for academics. She is a freelancer, but I am also treated as a freelancer by banks. ”

Willemien Sanders thinks it is unheard of that scientists who do a good job and are asked back again and again by the universities have to wait so long for a permanent appointment. She also has several short appointments simultaneously as a researcher. “Young researchers do the research in their spare time, but there is no evidence that this really increases your chances of a better career. In addition, they cannot always express their own preference in the research. Where then is scientific freedom? "

This article comes from the appendix 'My cao wo', which is included with the July issue of the Education Magazine. AObmembers receive the sheet every month on the mat.

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