Number of casual contracts at universities falls, say employers

The number of permanent contracts for academic staff in higher education is increasing while casual contracts are becoming less prevalent, the Universities and Colleges Employers Association has claimed.

Using Hesa data, the UCEA found that between 2011-12 and 2016-17 open-ended and full-time academic contracts have increased at three times the rate of fixed-term contracts. 

While open-ended or permanent contracts grew 18 per cent to reach 137,025 and fixed-term contracts grew 6 per cent to reach 69,850, the number of casual contracts fell both in terms of total number (71,960, down 12 per cent) and full-time equivalence (5,045, down 4 per cent). The total number of full-time academic staff increased 17 per cent to 138,405 during the period, compared with an 8 per cent increase in part-time staff to 68,465.