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Faculty of Social Sciences News

Job Quality Premiums for Graduates across Europe

A Research Assistant position is now available at the Institute for Employment Research (IER), University of Warwick, supporting a pioneering research project on job quality premiums for university graduates across Europe. This research addresses a significant gap in our understanding of higher education's broader benefits beyond earnings, particularly relevant given the growing focus on job quality in both academic research and policy domains, alongside the global expansion of tertiary education.

The project examines graduate outcomes through seven comprehensive dimensions of job quality: earnings, prospects, skills and discretion, social environment, physical environment, work intensity and working time quality. Through analysis of the European Working Conditions Survey data and Understanding Society (UKHLS), the research will investigate whether graduates experience 'job quality premiums' relative to non-graduates, track the evolution of these premiums over time, and examine variations across gender and ethnic groups.

Working with Dr Sangwoo Lee at IER, the Research Assistant will conduct sophisticated quantitative analyses of large-scale datasets, generate descriptive statistics, and contribute to research outputs examining how educational attainment shapes job quality across European labour markets. This work constitutes a vital proof-of-concept study, establishing foundations for an ambitious international research programme that will examine job quality premiums across Europe, America, Asia, and Australasia.

The position begins in April 2025 with flexible hybrid working arrangements. Successful candidates will hold a Master's level qualification in Economics, Social Sciences, or demonstrate equivalent research experience, complemented by strong quantitative research capabilities and proven experience in handling large-scale survey datasets.

For enquiries about the project and position, please contact Dr Sangwoo Lee at sangwoo.lee@warwick.ac.uk.

Thu 23 Jan 2025, 16:55

European language policy and practice for all

Strategies to strengthen European linguistic capital in a globalised world (MultiLX)

2025 will see the launch of a new Horizon Europe research project which examines language policy and practice in digital, multilingual Europe. The project brings together scholars in nine universities, across eight countries, to ask how inclusive policy can be developed and implemented to support all the languages of Europe.

Increased mobility of people across territories has altered the linguistic make-up of Europe, while rapid developments in AI and other digital technology have revolutionised the way people communicate. There is an urgent need for language policy to keep pace with these changes. A key challenge in an increasingly diverse, digital and multilingual Europe is to put in place language policy to shape a future for young people which is inclusive, democratic and equitable. The new research project, which runs for three years from January 2025, will address this challenge by providing policy makers with comprehensive evidence of the communicative practices and language ideologies of young people in Europe.

In this multi-site, team ethnographic project research teams will observe the communicative practices of young people in contexts where speakers are concerned with language endangerment (Norway, Switzerland), where people are investing in revitalisation of languages (Spain: Galicia, Catalunya), and where the prevalence of migrant languages renders multilingualism the norm (Germany, Italy). By conducting ethnographic observation in Barcelona, Berlin, Lucerne, Oslo, Santiago de Compostela, and Turin academics will gain a comprehensive knowledge of the everyday languaging practices of young people. With this evidence they will make recommendations for equitable language policy in Europe which reflects young people’s semiotic repertoires.

The research project will be supported by an Advisory Board of 17 experts from sectors including language policy, politics, academia, arts and media. Collaboration with the Advisory Board will ensure that research outcomes are scaled up to European decision-makers, and will provide a sustainable legacy of the project.

MultiLX is led by Professor Angela Creese at University of Warwick, and is a collaboration between nine universities in eight countries: University of Warwick (Adrian Blackledge and Angela Creese); Universitetet i Oslo (Pia Lane); Fundació per a la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Maite Puigdevall Serralvo and Joan Pujolar Cos); Albert-Ludwigs-Universitaet Freiburg (Katharina Brizic); Università degli Studi di Torino (Gerardo Mazzaferro); University of Glasgow (Bernadette O'Rourke); Jyväskylän yliopisto (Sari Pietikäinen); University of Limerick (Helen Kelly-Holmes); Pädagogische Hochschule Luzern (Edina Krompák).

For further information please contact Professor Angela Creese: angela.creese@warwick.ac.uk

Wed 15 Jan 2025, 16:45

IER’s gender equality efforts pay off: Successful renewal of the Athena Swan Bronze Award

Our recent renewal of the Athena Swan Bronze Award shows that IER has progressed on all gender equality indicators since its last award. This progress is just one of the positive results from the renewal. Progress is especially seen in the area of staff work-life balance, which was a key issue in the previous application. Nearly all staff now respond favourably to their work-life balance situation now compared with only one in three in 2018.

Recognition of its efforts to promote gender equality, progression and representation through the renewal of its Athena Swan Bronze award is a significant achievement for IER. It is a success for all IER staff and a testament to all the hard work from everyone involved in making the submission, not least Dr Jamelia Harris, Professor Trine P. Larsen and Catherine Vassallo, IER’s Administrator, who led the submission with support from the Self-Assessment Team.

Director of IER, Chris Warhurst, said:

“I’m delighted that we’ve been successful again in securing the Athena Swan Bronze Award. We strive to make IER a good place to work where everyone feels valued. There’s always more to do and I look forward to the next phase of work within the Institute to further promote gender equality.”

The Athena Swan panel commented:

"… an Institute that really cares about its staff and student communities and is invested in gender equality work regardless of awards.”

In the coming years, IER will build on its successful gender equality efforts and continue to improve gender equality in policies and procedures through shared ownership. This commitment is evident in the Institute’s new Athena Swan Action Plan and the dedicated team of staff that will implement it. Over the next few years, we will focus on addressing and increasing the visibility of “hidden” work, which is often cited as an important factor contributing to gender inequalities, and strengthen the existing sense of community within the Institute.

Fri 22 Nov 2024, 14:53

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