Jobless PhDs continue sit-in, call for national solidarity

Tunisian unemployed PhD holders continued their sit-in last week at the premises of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MHESR) demanding their integration into higher education and scientific research institutions.

Manal Al-Salmi, representing the Union for Unemployed Graduates (UUG), said: “We demand the appointment of more than 7,000 PhD holders to positions in the MHESR. … The MHESR policies do not respect the rights of PhD graduates.”

Al-Salmi called for formal contracts between PhD holders and the 600 research laboratories distributed in various Tunisian governorates, stressing that this would enable Tunisia to make a qualitative shift in the field of scientific research. She said the MHESR proposal for two-year contracts does not offer a guaranteed solution to the researchers’ requests.

She called on the MHESR to adopt a clear and guaranteed strategy for recruiting researchers, as well as to hold a national conference to address the unemployment of researchers. “We do not require a large budget, but we do require political recognition of the importance of scientific competencies towards achieving development in the country,” she said.

Several video clips of the 7 July protest and the sit-in were posted on the UUG Facebook page.

In a statement released recently, the UUG announced its call for a “National Solidarity Day” on 11 July to support the sit-in.

“We, the researchers, sit in front of the headquarters of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research since June 29, and in the context of continuing our peaceful sit-in are informing societies, associations, syndicates, political parties and free persons who believe in the legitimacy of our demands and our right to decent work and supportive of rights and freedoms about the day of solidarity with researchers on Saturday 11 July 2020,” the statement said.

No overnight solution

Tunisian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Slim Choura said in an interview that was posted on the official MHESR Facebook page: “The state does not have a magic wand to change the situation overnight and assign the total of 1,700 PhD holders” – the official number registered on the National Database of young PhD holders.

Only 200 PhD holders will be recruited during the current academic year, as the country's economic situation and the difficulties plaguing public finances are preventing the integration of a large number of doctorate holders into the public universities, he said.

Choura added that on 29 June an agreement was signed with the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA) to recruit 1,000 PhD holders as permanent staff at private universities. He said consideration must be given to integrating 13,500 doctoral students in the public or private sector.

Choura said that researchers should be integrated into industrial and economic institutions as in developed countries such as Japan and the USA which integrate 95% of their researchers in economic enterprises.

Government assures prioritisation

On 8 July UUG issued a statement indicating that in a meeting with government they had been informed that the request was receiving national priority.

The statement indicated that a draft legal text is being prepared to give status to each PhD holder. The union negotiation committee stressed that this status must be tied to social coverage and research grants.

Government response falls short

The statement welcomed the government’s response but indicated that it still fell short of the aspirations of the researchers. The drawing up of a roadmap, setting a specific timetable for assigning the total number of unemployed researchers to the public sector, is required, it said.

“The sit-in will … be escalated if it appears that the government is not serious about finding a solution. Colleagues are invited to join the cause, for which they must be the cornerstone in setting solutions for the advancement of the national economy,” the statement said.