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The UK doesn't have Tenure. I think it's true that the academic pressures are similar, there's still not enough secure jobs for those who want them. But it does
by nicoburns 5y ago
The UK doesn't have Tenure. I think it's true that the academic pressures are similar, there's still not enough secure jobs for those who want them. But it does at least mean that professors have to continue performing to a reasonable standard if they expect to keep their jobs, and this frees up space for new people if they don't.
- pmyteh 5y agoYes - formal tenure was abolished under Thatcher's government in the 80s. The academic job market here is also brutal, but it's brutal on admission to lectureships (tenure-track assistant professorships in the US). Once appointed on a 'permanent' contract there's no race for tenure: it's like an ordinary public-sector job where you can have a reasonable expectation of continuing employment but aren't immune from redundancy (==layoff) or dismissal for poor performance (which is quite rare). It's a better system for early-mid career academics than the US, IMO, and I'm glad I'm here. Other systems are better for other career stages: some European countries give PhD students actual employment protections and a salary, while life as a tenured full prof in Germany or the US is sweeter than the British equivalent. Doesn't stop the other grim employment aspects of modern academia, either: exploitation of hourly-paid PhD students for most of the teaching, far fewer posts than qualified applicants, eternal postdocry etc.