TRSATRSA

Trinity Research Staff AssociationTrinity Research Staff AssociationCumann na dTaighdeoirí Coláiste na TríonóideCumann na dTaighdeoirí Coláiste na Tríonóide

Alison Donnelly, UCC, 6 December 2006

Postdoc training and Postdoc training and careers in the knowledge careers in the knowledge

economyeconomy

Presentation outlinePresentation outline

• Brief introduction to TRSABrief introduction to TRSA• Issues of most concern to contract Issues of most concern to contract

researchers in TCDresearchers in TCD• Reality of research careers in a Reality of research careers in a

knowledge economyknowledge economy• Transferable skillsTransferable skills• What are the solutions?What are the solutions?

TRSA historyTRSA history

• Established June 2005Established June 2005• Represent & promote interests of Represent & promote interests of

Contract Researcher (CRs)Contract Researcher (CRs)• First association of its kind in First association of its kind in

IrelandIreland

AchievementsAchievements

• First time CR elected to the First time CR elected to the governing Board & management governing Board & management committees of Trinity committees of Trinity – Research committee, WiSER committee Research committee, WiSER committee

Statutes Review Working Party, Titles Statutes Review Working Party, Titles committeecommittee

AchievementsAchievements

• Ran workshops and attended Ran workshops and attended conferences– to increase awareness conferences– to increase awareness – IUQBIUQB– University of LondonUniversity of London– IRCSET – workshops & NCRAIRCSET – workshops & NCRA

• Surveyed CRs to determine their terms Surveyed CRs to determine their terms and conditions of employmentand conditions of employment

• Position paperPosition paper– UCD particularly interestedUCD particularly interested

Contract Researchers in Contract Researchers in Trinity:Trinity:

A Frontline PerspectiveA Frontline Perspective• Completed questionnaires from 162 Completed questionnaires from 162

(50%)(50%)• 93% “satisfied or very satisfied” with 93% “satisfied or very satisfied” with

the research they were conducting.the research they were conducting.• 81% “dissatisfied or very dissatisfied” 81% “dissatisfied or very dissatisfied”

with job securitywith job security• 69% were dissatisfied with their career 69% were dissatisfied with their career

prospectsprospects• 46% were dissatisfied with their current 46% were dissatisfied with their current

salary salary

Issues from survey….Issues from survey….

• Lack of career structure - short term Lack of career structure - short term contracts, titlescontracts, titles

• Salary not in line with experienceSalary not in line with experience• Pensions Pensions • Career development adviceCareer development advice• Opportunities for transferable skillsOpportunities for transferable skills• Recognition - not seen as professional!Recognition - not seen as professional!• FTWA – redundancy, benefits etcFTWA – redundancy, benefits etc

Transferable skillsTransferable skills

• Project managementProject management• IPIP• EntrepreneurshipEntrepreneurship• Science communicationScience communication• Leadership and team workLeadership and team work• Business administrationBusiness administration• ITIT• Technology commercialisationTechnology commercialisation• Self-promotion and marketingSelf-promotion and marketing• Negotiation and networkingNegotiation and networking

Elsewhere….Elsewhere….• UK universities/funders are ahead of UK universities/funders are ahead of

Ireland in addressing the issue of careers Ireland in addressing the issue of careers for CRs, with the publication of a for CRs, with the publication of a Concordat in 1996Concordat in 1996– This aims to have more effective career This aims to have more effective career

management, improved funding for and management, improved funding for and greater recognition of the professional role of greater recognition of the professional role of CRs.CRs.

• 7/10 of the top Universities in the world 7/10 of the top Universities in the world have postdoc associations and postdoc have postdoc associations and postdoc officesoffices

UK universities instigating UK universities instigating positive changepositive change

• Cambridge UniversityCambridge University introduced a Career introduced a Career Management Scheme for CRs. Management Scheme for CRs.

• Cardiff UniversityCardiff University has a Contract Research has a Contract Research Staff Office deals mainly with contractual issues Staff Office deals mainly with contractual issues and training and career development issues. and training and career development issues.

• Bristol UniversityBristol University has been a forerunner in has been a forerunner in acknowledging the vital role that CRs play and is acknowledging the vital role that CRs play and is committed to improving the working conditions committed to improving the working conditions for CRs. CRs may be offered a permanent for CRs. CRs may be offered a permanent contract after 5 years employmentcontract after 5 years employment

The reality of research careers The reality of research careers in a knowledge economy?in a knowledge economy?

• Evolving the Irish Research Evolving the Irish Research Infrastructure / Populating the Infrastructure / Populating the Knowledge EconomyKnowledge Economy

• Measures for the Development of Measures for the Development of Research Skills and Researcher Mobility Research Skills and Researcher Mobility in Irelandin Ireland

• The Institutional, Financial and Other The Institutional, Financial and Other Factors influencing Research career Factors influencing Research career Formation in IrelandFormation in Ireland

• Career Paths in Industry –feast or Career Paths in Industry –feast or famine!famine!

Evolving the Irish Research Evolving the Irish Research Infrastructure / Populating the Infrastructure / Populating the

Knowledge EconomyKnowledge Economy• Lack of continuity in fundingLack of continuity in funding• HEIs are employers but CRs salaries largely HEIs are employers but CRs salaries largely

paid by a third partypaid by a third party• Industry need to be a partner in design & Industry need to be a partner in design &

delivery but should not set the research delivery but should not set the research agendaagenda

• While research plays an important role in While research plays an important role in university rankings, it is more likely to be the university rankings, it is more likely to be the PIs rather than the researchers that receive PIs rather than the researchers that receive credit for the research outputcredit for the research output

• Problems with turnover and loss of Problems with turnover and loss of knowledge/expertiseknowledge/expertise

Measures for the Development Measures for the Development of Research Skills and of Research Skills and

Researcher Mobility in IrelandResearcher Mobility in Ireland

• Key actionsKey actions– Increase the number of research teamsIncrease the number of research teams– Enhance postgrad skillsEnhance postgrad skills– Develop sustainable career pathsDevelop sustainable career paths– Enhance mobility of researchersEnhance mobility of researchers

The Institutional, Financial and Other The Institutional, Financial and Other Factors influencing Research career Factors influencing Research career

Formation in IrelandFormation in Ireland

• Institutional Institutional ‘Bizarre how we think we can build a ‘Bizarre how we think we can build a knowledge-based economy on short term contracts’knowledge-based economy on short term contracts’

• No alignment between: No alignment between: – National policyNational policy: assembly line production of PhDs : assembly line production of PhDs

with the focus on economic outputwith the focus on economic output– RealityReality: where actually very few jobs in industry: where actually very few jobs in industry

• 'Status and inclusion within the University is 'Status and inclusion within the University is considered very important to CRsconsidered very important to CRs..– Are we staff or not? Are we staff or not? – Are we academics or not?Are we academics or not?– 'Is a Postdoc a period of training/study or an 'Is a Postdoc a period of training/study or an

academic position?academic position?

Institutional - careersInstitutional - careers• Lack of support measures for CRs within Universities. Lack of support measures for CRs within Universities.

• Lack of career structure causes problems with family, Lack of career structure causes problems with family, mortgages etc.mortgages etc.

• Short termShort term – provide support to plan, gain transferable skills – provide support to plan, gain transferable skills

• Longer termLonger term – some tenure track positions to provide – some tenure track positions to provide securitysecurity

• Would be willing to undergo performance-based review if led Would be willing to undergo performance-based review if led to longer term poststo longer term posts

• Academic scenario evolving into teaching and research Academic scenario evolving into teaching and research streams. Funding needs to be reformulated for careers in streams. Funding needs to be reformulated for careers in universities to reflect this. universities to reflect this.

Career Paths in Industry –Feast Career Paths in Industry –Feast or famineor famine

• Limiting factorsLimiting factors– Work experienceWork experience– Lack of recognition of Lack of recognition of

skillsskills– Mobility – moving to Mobility – moving to

marketmarket– Writing skills Writing skills

/communication/communication

• SolutionsSolutions– Placements/partnershipPlacements/partnership– Accreditation, Accreditation,

entrepreneurial skillsentrepreneurial skills– Incentives to bring Incentives to bring

companies herecompanies here– Provide coursesProvide courses

Strategy for Science, Technology Strategy for Science, Technology & Innovation (SSTI)& Innovation (SSTI)

• ““People are at the heart of the knowledge People are at the heart of the knowledge society”society”

• ““In addition, the development of career In addition, the development of career paths which will make science more paths which will make science more attractive and has the potential to give attractive and has the potential to give Ireland a competitive advantage in the Ireland a competitive advantage in the international market for top researchers international market for top researchers will have to be examined”.will have to be examined”.

• ““Emphasis placed on sustainable career Emphasis placed on sustainable career development rather than only focusing development rather than only focusing at early stage careers”at early stage careers”

• ““To double the output of PhDs by 2013 – a To double the output of PhDs by 2013 – a total output of 6,546 PhD graduates over the total output of 6,546 PhD graduates over the period 2006 -2013”period 2006 -2013”

• ““Growing the number of Postdoctoral Growing the number of Postdoctoral researchers by 1,050- in the same period researchers by 1,050- in the same period 1,815 additional Postdocs will have undertaken 1,815 additional Postdocs will have undertaken four years of study in supported research four years of study in supported research teams”teams”

• ““Growing the numbers of PIs by 350 over the Growing the numbers of PIs by 350 over the period to 2013”period to 2013”

• ““The Advisory Science Council requested to The Advisory Science Council requested to examine, & present proposals to the IDC on examine, & present proposals to the IDC on this key issue”.this key issue”.

Strategy for Science, Strategy for Science, Technology Innovation (SSTI)Technology Innovation (SSTI)

So what are the solutions?So what are the solutions?• Cannot build a sustainable Cannot build a sustainable

career on short term career on short term contractscontracts

• Serious commitment to Serious commitment to research careers is requiredresearch careers is required– Stability of funding for Stability of funding for

individual researchers individual researchers over the longer termover the longer term

– Clear research career Clear research career path with salaries in line path with salaries in line with experiencewith experience

– Acknowledgement by Acknowledgement by universities of universities of researchers as researchers as professional academics professional academics