24 July 2024
A comprehensive study on postdoctoral fellows in South Africa, conducted by Professor Heidi Prozesky and colleagues, aims to understand the demographics, career trajectories, working conditions, and aspirations of postdocs in South African public universities. The research reveals a significant increase in postdoc numbers, reaching approximately 3,028 in 2021, with a shift towards older postdocs and increased representation of African, coloured, and Indian researchers. Notably, 62% of postdocs are non-South African nationals, with 63% from other African countries. Postdocs primarily focus on research, spending an average of 92% of their time on it and demonstrating high productivity in publishing articles. However, they face numerous challenges, including job insecurity, financial stress, low remuneration, and difficulties for non-South African postdocs due to immigration regulations. The study raises concerns about “credential inflation” and the saturation of the academic job market. Recommendations include standardising and enhancing conditions for postdocs, revising remuneration, providing more teaching and supervision opportunities, addressing visa issues, and enhancing administrative support. Overall, the research emphasises the need for interventions to improve the experiences and career prospects of postdocs in South Africa.
Read more about it on University World News (Africa Edition).
