Russell Group - Staff contracts

17 November 2016

Commenting on claims made by the UCU and the use of 'zero-hours' contracts at Russell Group universities, Director General of the Russell Group, Dr Wendy Piatt, said: 

“Staff welfare is, of course, a priority for our universities and is always taken into account when contracts and terms of employment are offered. However, universities require levels of flexibility that reflect changes in student enrolment, popularity of courses and the expansion of research projects.

“To assume all staff involved in teaching through atypical or fixed term contracts are on so-called ‘zero-hours’ contracts is misleading. Visiting lecturers, expert consultants or industry professionals  who add greatly to the research-led teaching at our universities would be on such contracts. These additional voices in our universities provide insight that the students value highly, but would not wish to take on full-time typical contracts within a higher education institution.”