Founding of the trade union of Doctoral Scientists Teaching and Research (DEDE)

Trade Union of Doctoral Scientists Teaching and Research (DEDE)

Founding of the trade union of Doctoral Scientists Teaching and Research (DEDE)

Press Release – Nicosia, 13 January 2016

We announce the founding of a new pancyprian union that concerns a large group of people working in the key sectors of academic research and tertiary education. The Union of Doctoral Scientists Teaching and Research (DEDE) was founded on 6^th November 2015 in Nicosia and was officially registered by the Trade Union Registrar on 17^th December 2015 and is based in Nicosia (University of Cyprus). Eligible members are all doctorate holders that are involved in academic research and / or teaching, but do not hold tenure-track positions in the public and private universities of Cyprus.

This is a large and ever increasing number of scientists, on whose labour the constant growth of tertiary education and research in Cyprus is significantly based. Scientists that despite their high specialization, qualifications and experience, are employed either on an hourly basis (teaching), or on short term contracts (research), which are renewed intermittingly for years, mainly with low wages, without most of the taken for granted labour rights and benefits, being generally under conditions of labour insecurity. Despite the fact that they constitute an integral part of the academic institutions in which they work, they do not have substantial participation in the bodies and processes of the academic community, while, despite the fact that they often have leading participation in research, receive diminished roles on research projects as a result of their employment relation with the universities.

DEDE’s aim is to support the adjunct researchers and teachers in all Cypriot universities in order to claim an enhanced place for young scientists in the academia of Cyprus as well as improve the terms and conditions of their work. We consider that this serves not only the rights and interests of DEDE’s members, but also research and tertiary education in Cyprus in general, since the conditions of research and teaching work are inextricably linked with the quality of produced research and provided education, the upgrade of which constitutes our priority.

                                                                  

Webpage: www.dede.org.cy

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/cydede