UCU demands staff status for postgrad research students

University and College Union launches manifesto calling for better treatment of ‘exploited’ postgraduate researchers

Postgraduate research students must be given the same job protections as staff formally employed by universities, the University and College Union has argued.

The UCU said PGRs “miss out on terms and conditions that are afforded to colleagues on employment contracts” because they are classed as students despite their research outputs, as the union launched a manifesto for better treatment of PGRs.