RISING employment insecurity for university workers is hitting teaching quality and undermining academic freedom, a damning international report revealed today.

The joint study, conducted by United Nations experts at Unesco and the Switzerland-based International Labour Organisation, warns that the growth of casualisation in the sector is weakening the “fundamental pillars of excellence in teaching and research.”

The report, which received evidence from the University & College Union, also raises concerns about both “political interference and deference to market-driven priorities,” particularly those focused on providing so-called value for money.