Research dying in universities?

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Maz
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Research dying in universities?

Post by Maz »

This post reflects the state of universities and research at Finland. I wish I would hear how other countries are doing.

Generally salaries in universities are ridiculously small. Phd gets at least half less than he/she could be getting in some private company... Same goes with all other levels of degrees. What does this do? This means that intelligent and innovative young people do not stay at universities, but they will be going for work to some other place. It is not terribly motivating to get the same salary after (approx) 10 years studying at university as someone gets after 5 years in private sector. Majority of people who stay at university untill they get their Phd, will leave unis right after that... And I cannot blame them.

Most of old beards in universities are those, who do live for their work. They stay at their offices from early morning untill the late night, calculating, measuring, writing and thinking. They're great people, but unfortunately there is not much of them who live for science. Eventually research will die.

Another fact is that at universities, leaders of projects are too often chosen just by their scientific merits. That results leaders, who are excellent scientists, but do not have any idea how to lead a project. Now suddenly a man / woman who is used to sit alone in his chamber, avoiding social contacts, and living just for his research should be able to meet the people deciding the fundings and talk nicely to them, take care of ordering / aiding other workers, and coordinating the whole ooperation. He should be able to take care of informing people, he should know where otheraś are, and what they do, should be able to instruct others, should take care that every employer under his project/department knows general rules (which he/she might not even be familiar him/herself). Suddenly that leader notices that he has no more time to do the actual research, he must just ... lead. And too often he/she is not cabable of doing it properly. Somethimes he/she do not even want...

That way universities spoil both a good project and a good scientist. Silly.

mm... Times up, I must go to calculate some errorlimits and to prepare a presentation...
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