Atypical staff

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2019/20 University of Bradford employed fewer academic atypical staff. This led to a 52% drop in the number of academic atypical staff at the provider this year.

In 2019/20, University of Greenwich reported an 85% increase in the total number of academic atypical staff. This was following a review of their mappings to some HESA fields including the Terms field which meant a code of atypical was more suitable for many of their HPL (hourly paid lecturer) contracts. Most staff that were previously classed as being on a fixed term contract were re-classified as atypical. A small number of those on a permanent/open ended contract were also re-classified as atypical.

In 2014/15 The University of Southampton over-reported their atypical staff FTE by approximately 30 and fixed term teaching staff FTE by approximately 10.

In 2015/16, Newcastle University reported a 90% reduction in the total number of academic atypical staff. This was due to a large number of leavers in this cohort, as well as data cleansing exercise which removed staff incorrectly defined as on an academic atypical contract.

In 2014/15, the University of Birmingham gave term-time only part-time contracts to former atypical staff. This increased the academic part-time numbers for 2014/15 by 390.

In 2014/15, the University of Stirling had a notable reduction in part-time academic staff (from 650 in 2013/14 to 400 in 2014/15). This reduction was due to a change in how the university’s system managed an extended contract, rather than an actual reduction in staff numbers.

In 2013/14, The School of Oriental and African Studies over-reported their atypical staff by approximately 400.

In 2012/13, the University of Ulster did not return any academic atypical staff in error.  For 2013/14 they have returned 815 academic atypical staff.  They have confirmed that this figure should have been similar in 2012/13.

In 2013/14, Kingston University reviewed how they classified their hourly paid lecturers and external examiners from non-atypical to atypical. This increased the numbers of academic atypical staff from 0 in 2012/13 to 1105 (130 FTE) in 2013/14.

In 2013/14, St George's Hospital Medical School improved their data capture for academic atypical staff contracts, increasing the numbers in this category from 10 in 2012/13 to 375 in 2013/14. In previous years they have not collected data from these staff.