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South Africa has this problem in academia and to a order of magnitude worse. Not only do you worry about your own small income; but grants, scholarships, regis
by mikorym 7y ago
South Africa has this problem in academia and to a order of magnitude worse.
Not only do you worry about your own small income; but grants, scholarships, registration fees and a myriad of other things have in recent times become volatile and can be taken away from year to year.
Most of the issues is due to 1) our government being corrupt and 2) promises the government made about free education.
I am not against free education, but I am against impoverished professors.
This is why I decided to side-step academia. It is delaying my PhD by probably 3–7 years (I am at year 2's start now) but it's better than having in theory 100% time spent on a PhD but actually worrying about the University and your peers, your own future, etc. in reality.
- NohatCoder 7y agoI believe that the story is similar a lot of places in the world. At least in Denmark, stories of researchers spending more time seeking grant money than doing research are not uncommon.
- ahartmetz 7y agoAs part of a lecture, I have had a lab tour with a semi-famous professor in Germany. He said that he sometimes gives ideas, but is most of the time just organizing and looking for money for his group. And he said that that is normal in his situation (successful academic career with a sizable group).
- einpoklum 7y ago> grants, scholarships, registration fees and a myriad of other things have in recent times become volatile Welcome to the sad reality of academia almost everywhere in the world. (sigh)