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    University of Leicester Lecturer Reviews

    Updated 13 September 2017
    5 reviews

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    Lecturer
    2.9
    StarStarStarStarStar
    Rating TrendsRating Trends
    Recommend to a friend
    Approve of CEO
    University of Leicester Chancellor Lord Grocott
    Lord Grocott
    0 Ratings

    Employee Reviews

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    Pros

    • Flexible working hours - I am often able to fit a 7 hour day between the hours of 7am and 9pm which is good for when I have other commitments (in 8 reviews)

    • Provides excellent training, a considerate working environment that provides equal opportunities for all (in 7 reviews)

    Cons

    • Senior management team is exceptionally poor (in 4 reviews)

    • Lack of job stability - hard to get job made permanent due to nature of work (in 2 reviews)

    More Pros and Cons

    1. "Lecturer at University of Leicester"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Lecturer
      Current Employee - Lecturer

      I have been working at University of Leicester full-time (More than 5 years)

      Pros

      The normal benefits of working as an academic - flexible hours, predictable routines, etc.

      Academic staff are friendly to each other.

      Cons

      There is a push to increase student numbers to help the financial situation. The negative impact on staff is:
         - An ever-reducing quality of student. To increase numbers the entry requirements are lowered meaning we have to teach degree-level content to students that struggle to cope with it.
        - The Larger workload for marking, supervising etc.

      There is a large disparity in the pay and position of staff between departments and within departments. There are staff that have been around for a long time and were promoted during periods when promotions were easy. They clutter up the place on high salaries that block others. Teaching or Admin staff are treated like 2nd class citizens with no pretence that things should be any different. Leicester considers itself a research-led university and won't recognise that it's teaching and students support services that keep everyone in a job.

      Advice to Management

      I wouldn't put a sign highlighting which is the parking space for the VC given the unpopular nature of some of the decisions that are being made.

    2. Helpful (1)

      "Academic"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      Current Employee - Lecturer in Leicester, England
      Current Employee - Lecturer in Leicester, England
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook

      I have been working at University of Leicester full-time (More than 3 years)

      Pros

      As an academic, there is relative freedom to pursue your own research.

      Cons

      I feel compelled to write this review because of the five star reviews that have been posted recently. Although some may be genuine, my suspicion is that at least some are fabricated. Let me explain.

      As a non-academic, the university is probably a good place to work.

      As an academic: Almost all departments are currently undergoing brutal "transformation" which is mainly about sacking staff. For example, the mathematics department were told to reapply for their jobs (after which 6 or so would be let go - approx 20 - 25% of the workforce). And similar approaches have been taken with other departments.

      Hopefully this review will serve to inform job seekers of the current situation.

      Advice to Management

      Your current approach is probably doomed to fail. I suggest to rethink, and try to get some talented managers in place. Hopefully things can be turned round, but at the moment most academic staff are very dissatisfied, and this will make it very difficult to get meaningful change pushed through (assuming you can identify what meaningful changes to make).

      University of Leicester Response

      4 Nov 2016 – Recruitment Partner

      I’m sorry to read that your experience at the University has been a negative one.

      The University of Leicester is undergoing change, partly to ensure its long-term financial stability but mainly... More

    3. "Working at Leicester University"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Senior Lecturer in Leicester, England
      Current Employee - Senior Lecturer in Leicester, England
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook

      Pros

      Good salary, possibility to work off-campus, emphasis on research, collegiality

      Cons

      increasing emphasis on funding capture and student satisfaction

      University of Leicester Response

      12 Aug 2016 – Recruitment Partner

      Your review neatly sums up some of the benefits of working at the university: appropriate remuneration; flexible working; friendly, collaborative working relationships. Thank-you.

      4. Is this helpful? The community relies on everyone sharing – Add Anonymous Review

    4. Helpful (2)

      "Very conservative governed by the administration university."

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Lecturer in Leicester, England
      Current Employee - Lecturer in Leicester, England
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook

      I have been working at University of Leicester full-time (More than 5 years)

      Pros

      Relatively reasonable pension scheme. Attempt to meet Athena Swan criteria.

      Cons

      Very little (compared to other university) paid leave - 25 days p/a. Unrealistically tough promotion policy (requirements are higher than those in Oxbridge); promotion is not based on skills but on political policies within the university. Faculty carry too many administrative responsibilities; very little time for research; teaching load is too high and actual interaction with students is very much time consuming without any significant benefit (for the students and for the results); unrealistic attention to individual students complaints (instead of looking at statistics).

      Advice to Management

      Cut on administration (which seems to be unrealistically in numbers) and generates useless tasks just to justify its existence; more departmental independence in finances; hire more teaching-prevalent staff at appropriate high level to relieve the research staff for doing research and achieve high REF. Increase paid leave at least to 30 days p/a (preferably 35). Cut on cosmetic campus investments (as recently installed useless statue in front of the library) and invest in more faculty positions.

    5. "I wish that I had come to work here 20 years ago"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Senior Lecturer in Leicester, England
      Current Employee - Senior Lecturer in Leicester, England
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook

      I have been working at University of Leicester full-time (More than 5 years)

      Pros

      The freedom to do the job my way

      Cons

      Being constrained by, mostly necessary, university regulations

      Advice to Management

      Invest in 21st century equipment for teaching