Two-thirds of Cambridge researchers on temporary contracts

Although a solution to the immediate problem, rolling contracts are simply kicking the can further down the road, where is the money for those contracts coming from - at a time when some departments are shedding staff or at risk of closing, adding long-term overheads increases overall financial risk, and might lead to some departments becoming hesitant to approve rant applications with post-docs attached, limiting opportunities for doctoral graduates. Going from post-doc into an academic role might be feasible or some postdocs, however general academic roles are more demanding and not all post-docs might be ready to take the step or have skills in the area that the department needs. Real solutions might require reviewing grant funding and the reliance on post-docs in projects. That too could have consequences for PhD student recruitment and training.