Mark Elliot wrote:

> That depends on why they have left, and what they have gone on
> to do. If they have left because thay are unable to get more
> work then that (assuming that they are competant) it is a
> waste. If they have left from positive choice then no, that's
> just the upside today's employment situtaion.

In the survey quoted, and in the context of the Concordat, the
issue is what happens when people's contracts expire. Not
everybody can just head off to 'pursue other interests' -
especially when they've been working on specialist academic
research of little interest outside academia.

> I am currently looking around for my next job (my
> contract finishes next summer) if it's a CR post then fine if
> it's outside academia that's also fine. Generally I think my
> gradually broadening skill base is good for both my research
> work and for work outside academia.

You seem to be in a luckier and more flexible position than
many CRS. Good for you!

> >   suggests somehow restricting the numbers of people both
> >   entering and leaving contract research)? 
> 
> How could you *restrict* people from leaving? Do you mean this?

Not restricting the individual from leaving, no. Restricting
the numbers that have to leave/join, by offering greater
continuity and making better use of staff, yes. For instance, I
believe that at Loughborough there's an internal policy that if
a CR is nearing the end of their contract, if there's any post
anywhere in the university that's appropriate for them then they
must be considered for it, rather than be made redundant. Such
policies could be strengthened.

> Perhaps an important question is are the skills that are picked
> in contact research useful for work outside of resaerch?

And what if, in some research areas, they're not...?

> > - could the 'investment' be better reflected if CRs were
> >   allowed to apply for and hold grants in their own right,
> >   after a given amount of research experience?
> 
> Asuming that they have a PhD then they are. Unless you know
> something I don't!

As I understand it, many funding bodies (e.g. the research
councils, the British Library, probably some others) stipulate
that they will only accept project proposals from permanent (or
quote 'established') members of staff, and many exclude the
applicant from asking to fund their own post.

And some HE institutions insist on advertising posts externally
even when an existing CR is ideally suited for the new project
(even if they wrote the proposal, in fact - of course their
names aren't on it for the above reasons), thus wasting
everyone's time (and external applicants' hopes) on the
infamous 'inside job' scenario.

Only research fellowships tend to be different, and those are
often hedged around with restrictions regarding the
institution, the person's age or length of experience, whether
it's a 'release from teaching duties' or not, etc. 

Possession of a PhD, or not, doesn't tend to be mentioned except
in the latter case (though I'm sure it makes a difference for
all proposals, rightly or wrongly).

Clare.

______________________________________________
Clare Davies, Research Fellow,
International Institute for Electronic Library Research,
De Montfort University,
Hammerwood Gate, Kents Hill,
Milton Keynes MK7 6HP
England.
Tel: (+44/0)1908 834922
Fax: (+44/0)1908 695581/834929
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://zaphod.mk.dmu.ac.uk/~cdavies/clare.html
______________________________________________


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