Academics feeling the heat
The Age
Friday October 2, 2009
OLD, stressed and overworked €” experts say Australia's academics are headed for a crisis.Over the next five years a quarter of senior academics will retire and those who remain will work longer hours than their international colleagues, according to a study to be released today at Melbourne University.The looming academic shortage has been compounded by a 107 per cent increase in student numbers between 1989 and 2007, but only a 28 per cent increase in staff. This has inflated average student-to-staff ratios from 13 to 21.The analysis shows that Australian academics are highly likely to change jobs €” either out of the profession or out of the country €” and are less satisfied with their work than international colleagues."Our study's findings do not bode well for the future prospects of the academic profession in Australia," says study co-author Professor Lynn Meek."To survive, the sector needs to attract our nation's best and brightest young people and, to do this, major change needs to take place."The report recommends attracting more PhD candidates to develop a new generation of academics, and investigating the growing casual workforce.
© 2009 The Age
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