In our recent report, we describe how academic precarity concerns “employment conditions that do not enable the living of a fulfilling life and which prevent employees from planning for the future” (Participant, States of Precarity Survey, 2023). Precarity was therefore shown to affect a wide range of academic colleagues, from across career stages. The report contains resources for addressing different forms of precarity, targeting its causes and felt effects.

However, it is clear that colleagues on fixed term contracts are especially vulnerable to precarious working conditions, and may experience precarity in distinct ways. This toolkit - requested by current PhD students and colleagues on fixed term contracts - is intended to be an accessible resource that outlines important considerations for navigating life during different stages of a fixed term contract and provides a series of tips shared by geographers who have experienced similar situations. It is based on data gathered as part of The States of Precarity research project, which surveyed colleagues who were navigating precarious employment conditions in UK Higher Education (HE) geography.

The advice and suggestions outlined in this resource are not universal, nor do any of its recommendations constitute legal advice. Rather, it simply constitutes a compilation of suggestions and recommendations based on colleagues’ current and past experiences. While the guidance and tips enclosed have been helpful to some people, we appreciate that they may not be useful, evenly accessible or applicable to all readers and their institutional contexts.

For example, many of our respondents reflected on their intersectional experiences, sharing how disability, energy limiting health conditions, visa status, and caring responsibilities compounded challenges for navigating fixed-term contracts. These challenges ranged from pressure to conform to notions of idealised academics, navigating repeated relocations, or to feeling unable or unwilling to invest in new relationships and social networks. We therefore recognise that the diversity of people’s situations and experiences may mean that colleagues find themselves unable or unwilling to pursue some of the actions outlined here.

This toolkit is designed for colleagues who are currently employed on fixed term contracts, or who are likely to enrol on fixed term or otherwise precarious contracts within UK-based higher education (HE) geography departments.

This toolkit is an evolving document that has been informed by colleagues’ responses to the 2024/25 States of Precarity survey. It reflects the experiences and contributions of 364 colleagues from across the higher education geography sector but has the capacity to incorporate further insights as they are submitted by users. If you would like to provide feedback, or offer your own suggestions, please email us at statesofprecarity@googlemail.com