Academic Staff Numbers Up

Figures out this week from HESA show that the number of academic staff at universities increased by 6.9% between 2003/4 and 2004/5, to 160,655.

The number of non-academic staff has fallen slightly, but that is also linked to a reporting error with last year's Open University figures.

The figures also show that whilst women make up the majority of university students, only 15.8% of professors, and 29% of senior lecturers are women.

This rise in staff numbers is particularly interesting in light of the forthcoming strike action from the members of NATFHE and the AUT. Academic salaries are have been getting steadily less competitive for years, whilst the job is becoming harder and less attractive, but with 160,655 pay rises perhaps in the offing, you can see why the sector is resisting.

Bear in mind, though, that the total academic staff at universities at the UK is about two thirds the size of a single graduating cohort, and, depending on counting methodology, about 7% of the total number of students studing in the UK - at last count, 2,247,440.

In other words, we currently have an average of 1 academic for every 14 students in the UK. That sounds about right to me.

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