The European Commission鈥檚 planned 鈥渕aximum threshold鈥� for use of fixed-term contracts in academia would be difficult to implement and unlikely to address the root causes of precarity, universities have warned.

The commission鈥檚 proposal would direct member states to take 鈥渞esolute action鈥� to counter insecure employment in research, advising the implementation of 鈥渁 maximum threshold of one-third of fixed-term contracts in the overall researchers鈥� human resources of a given employer鈥�.

But such a threshold would be unlikely to fit the needs of all universities, nor would it 鈥渞espect their autonomy鈥�, according to a joint statement released by groups including the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, the Coimbra Group and the European University Association (EUA). They said the overall proposal was 鈥渕oving things forward鈥� and commended its 鈥済eneral objectives鈥�, but highlighted several areas for improvement.聽

鈥淭here is a need to reposition the narrative from targets on fixed-term contracts to the types of contracts being offered to researchers and the associated eligibility for social benefits,鈥� the groups said.

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Julien Chicot, senior policy officer at the guild, said the commission鈥檚 focus on precarity was welcome. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge concern right now for our universities,鈥� he told 探花视频. 鈥淭hey are really aware that it can affect the mental health of researchers and make academic careers less attractive to the people most likely to suffer from precarity, including women, people with families and people coming from overseas.鈥�

Guild members, he said,聽had nevertheless raised doubts聽about聽the proposed threshold on fixed-term contracts. 鈥淥ur universities do not understand why one-third was decided,鈥� Dr Chicot said. 鈥淲e are really unsure whether this threshold is actually feasible and relevant.鈥�

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The League of European Research Universities (Leru) said in a statement that the one-third limit would be 鈥渦nworkable鈥�, noting that PhD-level researchers constituted more than a third of researchers in Leru universities and the organisation 鈥淸does] not believe that a temporary contract is the most critical issue for this group鈥�.

鈥淢oreover, giving people an indefinite contract in the beginning of their research careers may create the expectation of having a full career in academia, while today more than 90 per cent of the starting researchers end up in industry, government or non-profit organisations,鈥� Bert Overlaet, chair of the Leru careers of researchers and human resources policy group, told聽THE.

The commission recommendations also fail to account for the role university funding plays in the proliferation of fixed-term contracts, according to Professor Overlaet. 鈥淢ost governments have reduced their block funding in favour of more project spending for research,鈥� he said.

Dr Chicot echoed this concern. 鈥淯niversities have very low long-term visibility regarding their budgets. When you don鈥檛 know what your budget will look like after five or 10 years, it鈥檚 really difficult to recruit someone with an indefinite contract,鈥� he said.

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Stephane Berghmans, director of research and innovation at the EUA, said that 鈥渃onsistent and sustainable core funding for universities鈥� was essential for them to offer long-term career avenues.

Such funding must cover the 鈥渟upport, development and training鈥� offered to early-career researchers in order to guide them into stable employment, whether in academia, industry or elsewhere, Professor Overlaet stressed. 鈥淚n many programmes, such as Horizon Europe, the effort and time we put into coaching and supporting young researchers in their careers is not an eligible cost for the project,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f we do what the European Commission is asking 鈥� give more support to these early-career researchers 鈥� then we are punished financially.鈥�

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com