Academic Job Markets in USA and the rest of Europe

June Kay,

Career Development Consultant

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Programme

Introduction

European Universities - 4 Models

USA• Types of Institutions• Roles• Recruitment Processes

Further sources of information

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Introduction• UK by far highest rate of non-national academic staff• UK Ranked Academically 1st in EU & 4th in World• EU average salary (gross) = 40126 Euros• USA average salary (gross) = 62793 Euros • Austria, Netherlands, Switzerland and Luxembourg

high = 50 - 60,000 Euros• UK salaries start low but finish highest• As in Natural Science, post-doc level becoming

crucial in SS & Humanities in most EU countries

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European Universities

• Anglo-Saxon – inspired by UK

• Continental European Model • Scandinavian Model• Central-Eastern European Model

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Anglo-Saxon Model• E.G. UK, Ireland, Netherlands• Open transparent recruitment• Open to non-national – foreign researchers seen as an asset• Academic flexibility, freedom from teaching, quality of

administration• Greater time available for research• Impact upon quality / quantity of research and international

reputation• Compete with USA

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European Continental Model

• Dominates in EU – inner oriented• EG Italy, Spain, Germany, France• Informal Agreements dominate – no guarantee best candidate gets job• Generally closed to non-national researchers• Promotion based on seniority – not publication and research quality• Department funding not dependent upon productivity• Impact upon quality & quantity of research & international reputation• Recent decades some changes but still difficult

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Scandinavian Model

• Open & competitive system with focus on merit• New positions advertised internationally• Amount of research & teaching relatively balanced• Sweden has separate career tracks• Common to move between public & private sector and foreign unis• Still dominated by informal rules & agreements• Often recruit those they know, internal candidates• Rarely recruit those without a personal contact with faculty and in the

country

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Transitional Central-Eastern European Model

• More dynamic and competitive to stop brain drain to The West

• Changing curricula to meet highest academic standards

• Changing university structures – reducing administrative and teaching staff

• Demanding good quality and practice• Co-operations with leading European universities• Rise of private Higher Education Institutions

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Transitional Central-Eastern European Model

• More dynamic and competitive to stop brain drain to The West

• Changing curricula to meet highest academic standards

• Changing university structures – reducing administrative and teaching staff

• Demanding good quality and practice• Co-operations with leading European universities• Rise of private Higher Education Institutions

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Comparing the SystemsNeither centralized French nor decentralised German system can compete

with Anglo-Saxon academic world

UK, Netherlands, Switzerland attract researchers – Germany / Italy face difficulties

Anglo-Saxon system – • Healthy competition between universities• Decent career prospects to reward hard work• High levels of mobility• Openness to Non-nationals• English Language often used in Netherlands, Scandinavia & Turkey

Some systems scholar is civil servant = secure, places limited at junior level, career not based upon research publications / output

Anglo-Saxon = less secure but job opportunities can increase based upon performance.

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Comparing the Rewards

All countries different social benefits, childcare, family allowance etc

Various methods for topping up salary with bonuses etc

Eastern European counties and Mediterranean countries (except France) – low to medium remuneration

Nordic Countries, France & Switzerland = high to very high remuneration

UK salary well above EU average but well behind USA

Italy salary depends upon length of service = 80% professors on higher salary than USA

Increase in remuneration over research career – UK 235%, Denmark 90%

Higher salaries for men than women in most countries – Malta the exception!

Between 10-15% PhD holders in EU unemployed / underemployed

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Postdoctoral ResearchPostdoctoral research is now becoming recognised as a

proper career stage

Internationalisation is most advanced at post-doctoral level

Tend to be research focused and fixed term

In several systems the postdoctoral stage is a bottleneck e.g. Belgium

Emergence of the PI – Principal Investigator

European Charter for Researcher / Code of Conduct for recruitment of researchers

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Where to continue your researchhttp://ec.europa.eu/euraxess (European Commission)www.EuroScienceJobs.com www.EuroScience.org www.lifesciencejobs.com http://physicsworld.com/cws/jobs http://mcfa.eu (Marie Curie)www.academicjobseu.com www.academictransfer.org (Holland)www.heanet.ie (Ireland)www.forsk.dk (in Danish)www.abg.asso.fr (French but can search PhD openings in English)www.thesis.de (in German)

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United States of AmericaRecruitment Overview

Most permanent positions begin late August / September

Vacancies advertised previous “fall” – announced

Adverts August / September reviewing October / November

Conference Interviews during winter

Telephone / On-site interviews in Spring

Offers mid-spring – process completed late spring

Similar for visiting positions = 1 to 3 years

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Glossary ADJUNCT position•One semester or one year•Non-tenure appointment•May / may not have an office•No benefits•Paid lump sum for each class taught

Annually Renewable•Applied to all non-tenure lecturers & adjuncts •No guarantee but may be renewed

Carnegie Classifications•Classifies all US degree-granting HE institutions•Divided into broad categories

Tenure Track Leads to permanent professorial appointment

Open range •Accept candidates of various ranks•Rank of position will depend upon quality & experience 0f chosen applicant

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Type of InstitutionPublic • Subsidized by the state• Subject to state-wide legislation• Not-for-profitPrivate• Funded by tuition fees, endowments & donations• Not-for-profit• Can receive state or federal aid dollarsProprietary • Privately owned• Operated for profit• Fasted growing segment• “derided as low quality education”

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Announcement of VacanciesNewsletters / Journals of scholarly organisations

National conference announcements

www. higheredjobs.com

www.universityjobs.com/

www.chronicle.com/jobs (Chronicle of Higher Education)

www.academic360.com

www.edweek.org (mainly primary / secondary school though)

www.apnjobs.com (academic positions network)

www.academiccareers.com

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Elements of application

• Networking – prefer to hire someone they already have information on!

• CV & Cover Letter• 3 Letters of Recommendation • Sample Syllabus• Supportive Materials to demonstrate teaching

effectiveness• Description of research plans and teaching interests

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CV & Cover Letter

Letter – as for UK – see examples http://www.grad.illinois.edu/careerservices/academic/articles.htm

CV • 2 to 3 pages for PhD graduates & Postdoctoral Researchers • ABD = “All bar dissertation” or “candidate” – if not finished PhD

yet • Again very similar to UK – see examples

Initial screening – request dissertation abstract, academic transcript, teaching portfolio, writing sample

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Application…….

Letters of recommendation• Dissertation Adviser and other faculty members• Credentials file – recommenders write one letter

Dissertation Abstract • 1 to 2 page essay• Context (existing literature)• Convey scope and meaning of your work

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Teaching Portfolio• List of taught courses• Sample syllabi for each course• Teaching philosophy statement• List of awards / certificates for teaching• Sample materials for 1 or 2 courses e.g. handouts, reading list,

assignments, exam• Evaluation of your teaching by faculty member• Sample student evaluations• List of sample courses you are prepared to deliver• DVD – 20 min presentation – usually required by smaller institutions

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Statements…..

Teaching Philosophy1 to 2 page essay

Shows your commitment to education

Shows your approach to teaching

For example….. •Goals for your student•Ways you facilitate learning•Perspective on role of professor•Support with specific examples•Indicate courses qualified to teach and those you’d like to design in future

Research Interests1 to 2 page essay in the first person

Describe dissertation research and any ideas for future article and books from it

Discuss fresh future plans

Why are these important / interesting

Place in brief context

Indicate facilities, equipment needed and possible sources of funding

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Academic InterviewingOften initially telephone / conference interview• Sign up in advance or at conference

Campus interview for 3 or 4 shortlisted• Job talk• Multiple interviews• Meal with research committee members• Teaching

Job Offers

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Post-doctoral Research

• As in UK

• Mainly Science

• Release time – usually ¼

• Hard money V Soft money

• Spousal Hiring Scheme

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Where to continue your research

www.phds.org

www.postdocjobs.com

http://sciencecareers.org

www.chronicle.com

http://www.grad.uiuc.edu/careerservices/academic/

“The Academic Job Search Handbook” by Vick & Furlong – published 2008

“Making the Right Moves – A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty”

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