The “non-permanent staff” category includes all those who work in various roles for the University: research grant holders, professional figures and other external subjects who having taken part in a public selection process and carry out teaching activities on the basis of a collaboration contract, as well as part-time student workers involved in various activities and tutors to support students. Non-permanent research personnel contribute to the realisation of projects.
Therefore, the number of contracts depends on the overall size of the project and the pace of the activities, which have slowed down during the period of lockdown. The employment of non-permanent staff for work other than research has fallen significantly during 2020 and 2021. Regarding tutors and part-time workers, the decline can be ascribed to the effects of the pandemic. The reduced physical presence of students lowered the need for tutoring.
Furthermore, working from home has made the employment of student workers in administrative offices more difficult. In contrast, the reduction on the number of contracted teachers is the result of specific University policy to limit so-called “replacement teaching” (provided by non-permanent staff) to cases in which it is effectively necessary (absence of the permanent member of staff) or appropriate (integration of lessons with external professional figures). Courses previously taught by external teachers have been taken over by permanent staff resulting in a significant reduction on the cost of replacement teaching.