Proposals by the University of Kent to cut staff research time to a “baseline” of 20 per cent have been criticised as short-sighted, potentially self-harming and likely to damage the institution’s reputation.
Under plans to make significant savings, the university was due to consult on new academic workload models that, for many research-active staff, currently follow the 40:40:20 split often found in UK academia. In that approach teaching and research each account for 40 per cent of a lecturer’s working week, with the remaining 20 per cent allocated to administration and other duties.
Staff with significant research responsibilities would see their research time fall to a “baseline” of 20 per cent, although those who secure research funding would be able to obtain a higher percentage.
Strategies for areas of higher priority research are also being considered, although the new framework would aim to mostly standardise the differing research time allocations found across the institution, Times Higher Education understands.
