UK, US Universities Employ More Non-Teaching Than Academic Staff, SSANU VP Reveals

Nigerians have been urged to discard the misconception that universities can function effectively without a substantial cadre of non-teaching staff. Dr. Abdussobur Olayiwola Salaam, National Vice President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), emphasized that claims portraying non-teaching personnel as unnecessary burdens are rooted in ignorance and deliberate misinformation.

Speaking amid ongoing debates on reversing the decline in Nigeria’s university system, Dr. Salaam highlighted that even prestigious universities in the United Kingdom and the United States employ more non-teaching staff than academic staff. This staffing composition is driven by the wide range of professional services rendered by non-teaching employees, extending far beyond clerical roles to include medical, financial, administrative, transportation, engineering, environmental, security, and media management functions.

“There is a serious misconception about non-teaching staff,” Dr. Salaam stated. “Contrary to popular belief, non-teaching staff are not superfluous but essential. My research shows that in UK universities between 2004 and 2012, non-academic staff consistently outnumbered academic staff, accounting for between 52% and 55% of total staff. Similarly, Ivy League universities in the U.S. such as Stanford, Cambridge, Johns Hopkins, and Michigan have higher proportions of non-teaching personnel compared to lecturers due to the diverse professional roles they fulfill.”

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He further clarified financial implications, noting that non-teaching staff typically cost universities less to maintain than academic staff. “While non-teaching staff numbers are larger, their salary overheads comprise less than 50% of what academic staff receive, with academic personnel consuming between 55% and 70% of university budgets on salaries.”

To put this in perspective within Nigeria, Dr. Salaam cited analyses of federal first-generation universities—including Ahmadu Bello University, University of Nigeria Nsukka, and University of Ibadan—where non-teaching staff make up the majority in numbers (for example, 73% at ABU) but receive a smaller proportion of the budgeted salary costs (48% at ABU).

These facts challenge the narrative that non-teaching staff inflate university payrolls unnecessarily. Instead, they underscore the critical roles these employees play in maintaining the operational efficiency and academic environment of universities worldwide.