{"id":3878,"date":"2022-04-01T13:02:02","date_gmt":"2022-04-01T13:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/the-future-of-uk-universities-at-stake-as-three-out-of-five-staff-members-ready-to-quit\/"},"modified":"2025-04-27T17:01:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-27T17:01:09","slug":"the-future-of-uk-universities-at-stake-as-three-out-of-five-staff-members-ready-to-quit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/the-future-of-uk-universities-at-stake-as-three-out-of-five-staff-members-ready-to-quit","title":{"rendered":"The future of UK universities at stake as three out of five staff members ready to quit"},"content":{"rendered":"

A survey report1<\/sup> published by University and College Union (UCU) this month revealed the poor working conditions and the dipping employee-satisfaction level in one of UK\u2019s most thriving sectors\u2014higher education.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The survey was conducted by UCU, and 7,000 individuals belonging to the higher education sector participated in it. The survey included questions about their level of satisfaction with the current role, their opinions on the current scenario in the higher education sector, and their views on its future.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

KEY FINDINGS<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Decline in the average salary<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The report estimates that in the last decade, the average salary of the higher-education staff has declined by 25.5%. Of the survey respondents, 60% reported that they found their salaries unsatisfactory and stated this as the primary reason for considering leaving the sector within the next five years. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Temporary\/contractual employments<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Of the respondents who stated poor salaries as their reason to leave academia, 57% were contract-based workers and 29% full-time employees. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am in my 30s, with student loan debt and on short term, casualised contracts. I often earn – throughout the year – less than the minimum wage. I am the most highly educated person in my family and yet the one on the lowest income,\u201d said a newbie lecturer on an hourly-paid contract at King\u2019s College, London.1<\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Reduced\/no pension<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Poor pension schemes was the primary reason why 71% of the respondents who were over 60 years of age and 67% of the respondents from the age group of 18\u201329 said they would leave academia. The education staff enrolled in the USS pension scheme, \u201c\u00a3240k on average has been cut from their retirement income since 2011.\u201d1<\/sup> This is followed by an additional 35% cut from every employee\u2019s retirement income under the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAcademic pensions used to be a real benefit to working in academia. Starting my first postdoc and finally earning an income, while having to pay off loans for my education until now, and finding out that pensions are cut by 35% is absolutely demotivating. It makes me consider leaving academia altogether, while I wanted to do research and teach since I was 12 years old,\u201d said an academic at the University of Edinburgh who works on a fixed-term contract.1<\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Demotivated employees<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Nearly 90% of the members felt pessimistic about UK\u2019s higher education future. 57% said they were not happy about staying in this sector for the rest of their professional lives, and 78% admitted that their institutions\u2019 failure to address issues related to working conditions has brought down their morale and is the main reason they aren\u2019t able to give their best at work.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A lecturer at Open University, who has been in this sector for over 15 years, said, \u201cI don’t think anger, pain, or frustration adequately describe how I feel any longer. There’s so much wrong in higher education that I no longer believe it is fixable \u2013 the mentality is too engrained, the managers too disconnected, the purpose of education too completely distorted.\u201d1<\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Micromanaging and poor governance<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Many respondents stated the following as the reasons why they would quit academia:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n