In principle, permanent positions are awarded to the most deserving – but perceptions remain that, in reality, many universities value connections over merit. Phillip Haubrock describes his struggles to find a permanent position in Germany, while João Conde recounts how he finally secured one in Portugal

The headcount has expanded significantly over the past decade, but the growth has been concentrated in teaching-only roles and part-time positions with lower pay bands and fewer pathways to seniority for these roles. Fadime Sahin analyses the data