EUROPE’S largest arts university was condemned yesterday for advertising non-existent casual jobs as lecturers around the country continue to struggle for permanent work.

University of the Arts London (UAL) is currently advertising for hourly paid “associate lecturers” and “visiting practitioners.”

While the proposed salary was up to £50.76 per hour, the exact number of working hours is not specified.

The positions don’t yet exist, with the advert noting that the university is “seeking to collect expressions of interest.”

It adds that “details will be held on record” and UAL will contact candidates “should the opportunity arise.”

A spokesman for the Fractionals For Fair Pay campaign, which fights for an end casual work in academia, said the advert was part of a “national scandal.

“Supposedly, some of this country’s most progressive and forward-thinking institutions are seeking to return employment practices to the era of dock workers queueing for a day’s work.

“This advert from UAL is worse than a zero-hours contract. These workers are ‘contacted,’ not ‘contracted,’ if the employer wants to hire them.

“This kind of practice seriously threatens the conditions and organisation of all workers in higher education.”

An hourly paid lecturer at Southampton University, who asked not to be named, told the Star she is paid £250 a month for teaching one module.

“That would be fine if it was for my one day that I’m in, but you don’t get paid for lesson planning or marking, and basically have no work over the summer,” she said.

“I know post-doctoral lecturers who have been teaching for six years and are still on these temporary contracts.

“We are all scrambling for the coveted salaried jobs. The casualisation of teaching staff and their contracts is a serious problem in universities.”

The comments coincided with new Citizens Advice research showing that nine out of 10 online job adverts fail to meet Advertising Standards Agency requirements.

Adverts are often “vague” on pay and working conditions and risk wasting people’s time.

The charity’s chief executive Gillian Guy said: “People seeking employment face a real challenge if job adverts don’t even tell them if they’ll earn enough to keep a roof over their head.”

UAL was contacted for comment but failed to respond.