Queens UCU: probation petition

Unrealistic and unfair terms.

This is a shocking example of the neoliberalisation of the university which is making QUB infamous and damaging its reputation. A member of the management of my own university used QUB to justify our own current punitive outcomes based performance management scheme, 'raising the bar', by saying that 'we aren't as bad' as some other places.

Unrealistic and counterproductive.

There is now considerable evidence that while the setting of SMART targets may frequently be valuable, the use in management of undifferentiated targets like this is not only unproductive, but may be actively damaging. There are people in the Business School at Newcastle University, QUB's partner in the Northern Bridge Doctoral Training Partnership, researching this issue who could help senior management at QUB gain more insight into it. I'm sure they'd be happy to help.

This is a bizarre probationary requirement since the staff member has no direct control over whether they achieve it. Targets have to be achievable and realistic. It would have put me off taking any post at a University. I can't think of a private sector employer which would impose such a perverse condition.

This policy punishes ECRs at the point when they need the most support, proper academic guidance and mentorshop. It will not generate more funding, nor improve the research environment of the university.

As a University lecturer I strongly object to these conditions. Where are all these grants that we can apply for successfully? They don't exist, so how can we be expected to fulfil these criteria?

Unfair and unjust

As a ECR on probation myself, I find this new expectation to be unjust and punitive. It's punishing the very people that need support most. Shame on QUB.

Phd candidate of contemporary history, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Athens. Former president of phd students union of Panteion University.

This is most unfair.

Highly counterproductive to the nurturing and retention of talented new academics

Another step down the increasingly joyless and Stakhanovite world of higher education!

It would very disappointing if probationary conditions were changed after staff take up their employment

PANTEION UNIVERSITY

University of Ioannina, Greece

As a recent probationer myself, I would have found having to apply for research grants hugely demanding alongside developing my teaching practice. I was able to spend my first year networking and this is paying off for research projects and bidding in my second year. Others should have the same chances

School of Film Studies Faculty of Fine Arts Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

I wonder if the academics who devised this unfair policy won research grants while they were on probation?

Look at the grant success rates and rethink.