Hi Wendy,

What I was citing was one of the Annexes to the RCI's latest
report, which is online at the CVCP website at:

http://www.cvcp.ac.uk/Links/LinkedActivities/RCI/Annex_3.pdf

Links to the rest of the report are at:

http://www.cvcp.ac.uk/Links/LinkedActivities/RCI/rci.html

> I can't find the email; I can't connect to the Mailbase home
> page to read the archives;

I don't quite understand why not since the Mailbase site is
usually very reliable:

http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/contract-research-staff/archive.html

> and the research referred to doesn't seem to be on the AUT
> website.

No surprise there - it's quite skimpy on CRS issues, but then we
don't want too much repetition I suppose. Here are some other
pages with potentially useful links for you:

http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/contract-research-staff/files/crslinks.html

http://www.nbs.ntu.ac.uk/staff/brysocm/resource.htm

http://www.set4women.gov.uk/set4women/highered/index.htm

http://nextwave.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2000/07/05/2

http://www.man.ac.uk/aut/FTCS/FAQ/faq-bits.html

When I revamp the first of these, it'll be much easier to find
links relating to particular issues/questions.

> it wasn't true that one fixed-term research contract would
> then be a stepping-stone to a permanent job.

I don't think anyone at all believes that anymore (if they know
anything about the issue). Only the *very* lucky, who find
themselves under the wing of a highly productive academic who has
enough selflessness to help promote their career (e.g.
encouraging joint and single authorship on publications,
conference attendance, etc.), and whose research area is
fashionable and involves a good contact network, land a
lectureship that easily in my experience.

What some folk do want to believe is that the model is one
contract and then out into 'industry', which again the figures
don't really support. The RCI has a stated objective of
preventing "serial contract researchers" from hanging around and
becoming frustrated and disillusioned - i.e., either we're good
enough for permanent contracts (or at least open-ended), or we
should leave, and I think good practice in human resources does
confirm that as an ideal to some extent. Universities say it's
not happening beause they're too insecure themselves to offer
non-fixed-term contracts. Funny how most admin posts still get
them though :-)  There are some other pretty insecure employment
sectors (like, um, most of them!), but they don't resort to this.

Hope that helps,

Clare.





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