On 29 June 2016, the State Ministry for Science and the Arts (SMWK), the chairperson of the Main Staff Council at the SMWK and the rectors of the Saxon universities signed the "Framework Code on Dealing with Temporary Employment and the Promotion of Career Perspectives at the Universities in the Free State of Saxony". One of the main objectives was to increase the attractiveness of Saxon universities in the international competition for highly qualified staff, especially for young academics. To this end, employment conditions and career paths were to be made more transparent and easier to plan. In this context, the framework code included statements on contract terms, work tasks and aspects of personnel development concerning various personnel categories.
The SMWK has commissioned the DZHW to carry out an evaluation of the framework code in close cooperation with the Ministry, the Saxon universities, the main staff council and the staff councils within the universities. The aim is to determine the way in which the framework code is applied, the status of its implementation in the universities and its intended and possibly unintended effects. To this end, the current state of employment conditions and career planning opportunities will be analysed, possible implementation obstacles and gaps in the regulations will be identified, and suggestions for improvement from the perspective of the actors involved will be recorded. The insights gained from this will serve as a basis for formulating approaches and recommendations for a possible improvement and further development of the framework code.
Methodologically, relevant documents of the universities such as personnel planning and personnel development concepts as well as existing monitoring data will be analysed. Then, within the framework of an online survey, all fixed-term employees of the universities will have the opportunity to describe their experiences with the implementation of the framework code. The information will be related to their professional position, areas of activity and work tasks as well as further career planning. As a third element, several guideline-based qualitative interviews are planned, for example with representatives of the SMWK, with university administrators, staff councils, representatives of certain staff groups, professors and representatives with a connection to personnel issues (e.g. equal opportunities representatives, representatives of the severely disabled). During these interviews, the question will be addressed of how the framework code can be expanded to include permanent staff in order to promote good work in the higher education landscape as a whole.
A final report will be prepared on the results, and the contents will be presented in various constellations so that they can then be discussed further.
