Postdoc Training & Careers in the Knowledge Economy

1. Trinity Research Staff Association Cumann na dTaighdeoirí Coláiste na Tríonóide TRSA Alison Donnelly, UCC, 6 December 2006

2. Postdoc training and careers in the knowledge economy

3. Presentation outline • Brief introduction to TRSA • Issues of most concern to contract researchers in TCD • Reality of research careers in a knowledge economy • Transferable skills • What are the solutions?

4. TRSA history • Established June 2005 • Represent & promote interests of Contract Researcher (CRs) • First association of its kind in Ireland

5. Achievements • First time CR elected to the governing Board & management committees of Trinity • Research committee, WiSER committee Statutes Review Working Party, Titles committee

6. Achievements • Ran workshops and attended conferences– to increase awareness • IUQB • University of London • IRCSET – workshops & NCRA • Surveyed CRs to determine their terms and conditions of employment • Position paper • UCD particularly interested

7. Contract Researchers in Trinity:A Frontline Perspective • Completed questionnaires from 162 (50%) • 93% “satisfied or very satisfied” with the research they were conducting. • 81% “dissatisfied or very dissatisfied” with job security • 69% were dissatisfied with their career prospects • 46% were dissatisfied with their current salary

8. Issues from survey…. • Lack of career structure - short term contracts, titles • Salary not in line with experience • Pensions • Career development advice • Opportunities for transferable skills • Recognition - not seen as professional! • FTWA – redundancy, benefits etc

9. Transferable skills • Project management • IP • Entrepreneurship • Science communication • Leadership and team work • Business administration • IT • Technology commercialisation • Self-promotion and marketing • Negotiation and networking

10. Elsewhere…. • UK universities/funders are ahead of Ireland in addressing the issue of careers for CRs, with the publication of a Concordat in 1996 • This aims to have more effective career management, improved funding for and greater recognition of the professional role of CRs. • 7/10 of the top Universities in the world have postdoc associations and postdoc offices

11. UK universities instigating positive change • Cambridge University introduced a Career Management Scheme for CRs. • Cardiff University has a Contract Research Staff Office deals mainly with contractual issues and training and career development issues. • Bristol University has been a forerunner in acknowledging the vital role that CRs play and is committed to improving the working conditions for CRs. CRs may be offered a permanent contract after 5 years employment

12. The reality of research careers in a knowledge economy? • Evolving the Irish Research Infrastructure / Populating the Knowledge Economy • Measures for the Development of Research Skills and Researcher Mobility in Ireland • The Institutional, Financial and Other Factors influencing Research career Formation in Ireland • Career Paths in Industry –feast or famine!

13. Evolving the Irish Research Infrastructure / Populating the Knowledge Economy • Lack of continuity in funding • HEIs are employers but CRs salaries largely paid by a third party • Industry need to be a partner in design & delivery but should not set the research agenda • While research plays an important role in university rankings, it is more likely to be the PIs rather than the researchers that receive credit for the research output • Problems with turnover and loss of knowledge/expertise

14. Measures for the Development of Research Skills and Researcher Mobility in Ireland • Key actions • Increase the number of research teams • Enhance postgrad skills • Develop sustainable career paths • Enhance mobility of researchers

15. The Institutional, Financial and Other Factors influencing Research career Formation in Ireland • Institutional ‘Bizarre how we think we can build a knowledge-based economy on short term contracts’ • No alignment between: • National policy: assembly line production of PhDs with the focus on economic output • Reality: where actually very few jobs in industry • 'Status and inclusion within the University is considered very important to CRs. • Are we staff or not? • Are we academics or not? • 'Is a Postdoc a period of training/study or an academic position?

16. Institutional - careers • Lack of support measures for CRs within Universities. • Lack of career structure causes problems with family, mortgages etc. • Short term – provide support to plan, gain transferable skills • Longer term – some tenure track positions to provide security • Would be willing to undergo performance-based review if led to longer term posts • Academic scenario evolving into teaching and research streams. Funding needs to be reformulated for careers in universities to reflect this.

17. Limiting factors Work experience Lack of recognition of skills Mobility – moving to market Writing skills /communication Solutions Placements/partnership Accreditation, entrepreneurial skills Incentives to bring companies here Provide courses Career Paths in Industry –Feast or famine

18. Strategy for Science, Technology & Innovation (SSTI) • “People are at the heart of the knowledge society” • “In addition, the development of career paths which will make science more attractive and has the potential to give Ireland a competitive advantage in the international market for top researchers will have to be examined”. • “Emphasis placed on sustainable career development rather than only focusing at early stage careers”

19. Strategy for Science, Technology Innovation (SSTI) • “To double the output of PhDs by 2013 – a total output of 6,546 PhD graduates over the period 2006 -2013” • “Growing the number of Postdoctoral researchers by 1,050- in the same period 1,815 additional Postdocs will have undertaken four years of study in supported research teams” • “Growing the numbers of PIs by 350 over the period to 2013” • “The Advisory Science Council requested to examine, & present proposals to the IDC on this key issue”.

21. So what are the solutions? • Cannot build a sustainable career on short term contracts • Serious commitment to research careers is required • Stability of funding for individual researchers over the longer term • Clear research career path with salaries in line with experience • Acknowledgement by universities of researchers as professional academics