Mikko TuomiDec 22, 2022

Modern #academia in a short conversation.

#science #university #research

University: "We would like to have you join our team of world-class scientists to conduct your fantastic science in our environment."

Researcher: "Great, so how much are you going to pay me?"

University: "Oh, about that. We expect you to apply for your own external funding."

Show threadkaukamieliDec 26, 2022
@mustapipa
So if they are funded externally and it's done remotely, what exactly does the university actually offer? Why not bypass them completely?
Show threadMikko TuomiDec 26, 2022

@kaukamieli Some providers of external monies require university affiliation, so that funding can be paid as a salary. This does tie the researchers to the institutes.

But of course universities provide some research facilities, library services, assistance in publishing and press releases, accounting and financial services to help manage grants, office and a framework where colleagues are locally in touch constantly.

What I have described is a consequence of decades of cuts to the core.

Show threadToni Aittoniemi
@mustapipa @kaukamieli IMO bypassing universities isn’t necessarily something to be aiming for. They are institutions worth holding on to, as tradition can’t be manufactured. But traditions and institutions are always suspect to corruption, of many kinds. The university’s Achille’s heel is exploitation of human capital, and the publisher market is a sucker on the side of the peer-review process. What’s underneat works, but we have this masking effect on top.
Dec 26, 2022 at 8:36amWeb
Show threadMikko TuomiDec 26, 2022
@gimulnautti @kaukamieli Indeed. It is not worth aiming to bypass universities, but to make them function again for the benefit of research and science, but also for the researchers.
Show threadToni AittoniemiDec 26, 2022
@mustapipa @kaukamieli What alternative open-source style co-operation CAN do however, is to provide a reason for universities to change (faster). ”Being the only game in town” is the king of poisons leading people down the road of exploitation and cruelty.
Show threadMikko TuomiDec 26, 2022

@gimulnautti @kaukamieli Of course, the only way to initiate change is to make the current practices unviable.

Unfortunately such institutional change typically only advances very slowly and is a constant uphill struggle.

Show threadToni AittoniemiDec 26, 2022
@mustapipa @kaukamieli The stronger the institution, the stronger and the more plentiful it’s underlying support structures are, too. It takes a lot of time to chip away at those ”until the central hypothesis can be wrestled loose”, in the words of Samuel Gershman.