Sorry Tale of Local Professors in Singapore
A local professor sent
this message to me:
Dear Mr. Tan
For those who are academically inclined, one common dream is
to
become a university professor. For many countries in the world,
this is
a position worth aspiring to as professorship carries prestige
and
comfortable income. For Singaporeans who aspire to
become
professors in
Singapore, it is sad to say that based on the
happenings
in a local
university over the last few years, they found it a
nightmare.
In this university, many Singaporean professors have been fired
when
they reach the age of around 55 (much lower than the
national
retirement age). Many of these professors have contributed to
the
development of the university for more than 20 years. And to
add
insult to injury, many of the university management who decided
to
fire them are actually foreigners.
When the
university recruit new professors, many of them are
also
foreigners and
some of them are in their 60s or even late 60s. As
the
university is
heavily subsidised with Singapore money, is it not
more
logical to
hire Singaporeans so that the money is invested back
to
Singaporeans?
Instead, the money is now used by foreigners for
their
career
advancement or retirement outside Singapore.
This situation is particularly sad as Singaporeans have worked
very
hard to accumulate this wealth. So why let foreigners enjoy the
fruits
of Singaporean labour? And to add to the irony, many of
the
Singaporean ex-professors do not have enough savings for
their
retirement. They have to make a career switch at the age of 55 –
is this
not a nightmare? Even though this situation has been going
for quite
some time, it is not a lost cause. The Singapore government
can
reverse the situation to demonstrate that they truly
place
Singaporeans first.
Local professor
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I carried out a survey. 19 people responded.
63% strongly agree, 16%
agree and 21% disagree with the views written by the local
professor.
Here are their comments
Strongly agree
** The
government has allowed just too many foreign "talents"
into
Singapore.
Most of them are not better than Singaporeans. It is OK
to
have some
foreigners but it is absurd when a local is out numbered
by
foreigners at
the workplace.
** I am a
local with a US PhD in biology. I found it next to impossible
to
get any
academic position locally. My field of research is
very
specialised but the few positions that do exist here are all
given to
foreigners. Local life science research bodies prefer big
name
foreigners because all they want is to boost their rankings.
Just look up
any local biotech research institute or university here and you
will find
that foreigners dominate most of the PI positions.
Although most
local
research is funded by Singapore, it is mostly
controlled by foreigners.
Why did I return to Singapore? Singapore makes it mandatory
for
locals who do their postdocs in the US to return here for two
years
even though you were not funded by Singapore. Meanwhile, I am
still
looking for a job... any job.
** Wow,
welcome to the "Real world" professors! I thought it
only
happens to private commercial sectors, like me
for example. But
having said that, if I were to use the government
credo..upgrade, retrain, re-skill!! The only "untouchable" sectors
right now is the million
dollar PAP rice bowls.. We all have to compete
with the foreign
talents, but our PAP can't or won't even play on
a same level field with
local opponents!! That is SIN city for you!
Didn't you teach that in class
to your students? Eat or you will be Eaten !** I
know this to be true.
** I have seen this happening not only in universities but other
science
organizations run by the govt. Why do
out agencies hire foreigners in
science jobs (especially WHALES who earn very
huge salaries)? These
Whales do not do anything for Singapore. In fact they have
been
repeatedly seen running down our system in international
meetings
abroad. They openly say that they are here for vacation and
for
money. Most of them continue to keep other positions open
in
universities abroad. Why??? Locals suffer, take the most small
pay but
do the most difficult task and still publish the best papers
that the
international community recognizes Singapore for. Please reverse
this
trend. Locals are good enough to take Singapore science to
new
heights.
** Open your big eye and ear. I studied at a local poly part
time more
than 60% are foreign trash, why are they here if not
talent?
** The long term academic future of Singapore depends on
bright
young Singaporeans seeing a career as an academic rather than
being
replaced by young people from the region and older people
from
further away
** I am not in the least bit surprised by this as this is also
happening in
the private sector. Our government made a strategic error by
trusting
these foreigners who are happily firing Singaporeans and
replacing
them with people from their own countries. Singaporeans are
slowly
but surely being replaced at all levels except the highest level
of
government ministers. I hope our government realises this
sooner
rather later before it reaches crisis point where our government
will
collapse and a foreign party assumes control.
Disagree
** Depends on the rationale and competence of the professors
being
redundant.
** Any professor who spends 20 years in a local university,
without
overseas sabbatical should probably be fired.
** Once you get tenure the university needs full board approval
to fire
you, unless you screw it up really bad. And if the professors
have no
savings they have not been spending their 5 digit salaries very
wisely
yah?
End of report
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